Dream a Little Dream of Me
by Celetest13
Summary: "One day, I'll tell you my name and you'll tell me yours. And that darling, will be when everything changes." For over a year he appeared to her, the stranger without a face. She could feel him, hear him but never once did she see. But that was the nature of her dreams. He was a simple fantasy. Never once did she expect him to be real.
1. A Story to Tell

_So, coming up with a long first chapter to a new story is apparently what I do on relaxing pool holidays abroad. Hope you like it :)_

* * *

 _April 29, 2010 - Present Day._

In the beginning, it felt like I was drowning, in more ways than one. I kept kicking and thrashing against the looming heaviness which threatened to pull me back down. Sometimes I believed that I had almost reached the surface until something grabbed my ankle and dragged me into an endless, black void.

That was how I felt today. As I lay there staring up at the ceiling with blank open eyes, a pen twirling absentmindedly between my fingertips, I could almost see my surroundings darken ever so slightly. I blinked. A tear rolled down my cheek and soaked into the steadily dampening pillow beneath me.

I listlessly turned my head to the right, my unfocused gaze drifting towards the desk where the little black book lay.

Its contents held a story of feelings, wishes and beliefs. It told the story of a young girl and all she had suffered over the short course of her apparently uneventful life. With the simple action of ink to paper, it portrayed that young girl's deepest and most darkest thoughts. Secrets that not even her family knew about. They would tear them apart if they did.

After all, no one would ever expect that this lonely little girl's only friend and one true companion was a dreamt up stranger with no face. An imaginary friend who seemingly appeared to her during deep trials of suffering, to guide her away from the dark watery depths and back towards the surface of life.

And he was quite good at it to be told... in his own charismatic, unconventional way.

I knew he would come to me tonight. Despite my current state, my lips twitched up into a soft yet momentary smile.

But first I had to pass the time and get through the day. And like every other day since I received that little black book, I would open it and continue to spill my story to the silent paper listener.

I slowly sat up and groggily rubbed the dark bags beneath my tired and sleepless eyes. The pen spun faster and faster between my thumb and forefinger.

It was going be difficult today. What could I possibly write to aptly describe how I was feeling? How could I even begin to put my wave of turbulent thoughts into words? Words were limited compared to my unbounded thoughts and emotions.

 _'He would know what to say,'_ a part of me mulled despondently. ' _He would know exactly what to say, what to do.'_ Even when our relationship barely passed the stage of acquaintances, he always had my back. Was always able to rationalise the emotions I could never speak aloud.

 _'Like kindred spirits_ ,' I continued to muse. Another tear spilled down my cheek. ' _Connected together in a shared feeling of agony.'_

Because whenever death showed its face in my life, I would find him again in my subconscious. And the thought of seeing him again... it excited and _terrified_ me. Because now death seemed to surround me at every turn.

Maybe it was my fault. Maybe I was always looking.

Looking for a way to see him again.

It started on the worst day of my life. When I was just some innocent, spirited teenager who indulged in everything which freedom had to offer.

I had spent the night in psychedelic colour, created through the blurred drunken gaze of a night time party. And it had been a party to remember, for all the wrong reasons...

* * *

 _May 23, 2009_

 _The bonfire crackled and danced to the energetic beat of the music. Bodies swayed, plastic cups were thrust high into the air as arms languidly waved around the roaring flames. I watched them all from my leaning spot against a small chestnut, through unfocused eyes with a woozy remnant of a smile on my face._

 _"You should so not be drinking," a familiar voice stated and my humoured smile widened as she made her approach. When her footsteps came to a disapproving halt behind me, I took a single exaggerated sip from my drink before turning around._

 _At the sight of her crossed arms, I slowly lowered the cup and curiously appraised her. "Are you mom?"_

 _She blinked and her arms fell to her sides as she struggled to comprehend where this conversation was going._

 _"What?" she questioned._

 _"Are you?" I repeated and she paused, her arched eyebrows lowering into a frown._

 _"No?"_

 _I turned my back on her with a small smirk. "Then shove off."_

 _From behind me she let out a long huff and my lips tilted up further. "Alright, I'm cutting you off," she stated._

 _I was ready for her approach and swiftly dodged her flailing hands before twisting away without a single stumble in step._

 _I stared gobsmacked at my drink which hadn't even slopped one drop of liquid to the ground before grinning in triumph at her slowly growing red cheeks and narrowed gaze. "Have to be faster than that, sister."_

 _She shot me a look of poison and thrust her arm out once more. Without a passing thought, I gracefully ducked under her determined open palm and backed away, relishing once again in my triumph. I toasted her with a wink before raising the drink to my lips. But I never tasted the sweet lowering of inhibitions as the cup was suddenly swiped from my grasp._

 _Briefly startled for a passing moment, my fingers curled in and felt nothing except air. I slowly turned round and my confusion was quickly abated at the sight of abashed bright blue eyes staring back into mine._

 _Narrowing my eyes on the stolen drink hanging limply in his grasp, I tutted mockingly. "Bad way to get into the little sister's books, Donovan."_

 _Matt said nothing, his blue eyes drifting over my shoulder to cast a hopeful gaze as my sister closed the distance between them._

 _"Thanks Matt," she whispered softly, slipping her fingers between his and he grinned his dimpled smile._

 _"Anytime, Elena."_

 _But when he gently squeezed her hand, Elena hesitated. As if coming to a decision, she stood on tiptoe and placed a chaste kiss to his cheek before stepping away._

 _I shuffled from one foot to the other and scanned around, searching for any way to get me out of the hell currently transpiring on Matt Donovan's crestfallen face and Elena's awkward stance as he dejectedly turned away._

 _I watched him retreat back to the party and waited until he was fully out of earshot before letting out a long sigh. "Well that was pure, unedifying torture."_

 _Elena cringed at my comment and her shoulders slumped. "Was I that obvious?" she groaned and I arched one eyebrow._

 _"Flying cars would have been more discreet." When she bit her lip and stared off in the distance, I rolled my eyes, exasperated. "My God Elena, it's not hard. Just say you don't want to bang him."_

 _"It's not that simple, Kiah," Elena argued back before she let out a low breath and admitted quietly, "I don't know how I feel."_

 _"Well then, how about I spell it out for you," I responded with forced calm to hide the bubbling laughter which threatened to burst through my lips. "Sweet, innocent Matty is this little piece of string and you, my dear sister, are pulling it along."_

 _Elena opened her mouth to let out an aghast retort but I just danced forwards and placed a finger to her lips. "Ah ah, I'm right you're wrong. This conversation is over."_

 _A sudden vibration from my jeans pocket broke our concentration and I grinned._

 _"Ooh, I'm getting a call," I exclaimed before excitedly fishing out the device with a grin. Recognising the caller, I held up a hand to halt Elena's attempt to continue our pointless argument. She huffed as I placed the phone to my ear. "Jennnnaaa!" I happily slurred._

 _"You, young lady should be here. At home. Asleep." My Aunt's indignant tone vibrated through the speaker but I could hear her sluggish tone which mirrored mine to a tee. "And jumping out the window? Really Kiah?"_

 _"Hey I was careful," I defended myself, swaying to the steady beat of music playing far in the distance. "Like a stealthish, stealthily ninja. Anyway, like you haven't done worse."_

 _Jenna spluttered, finding no comeback to her poor infused decisions of drugs and alcohol which had transpired during her youth._

 _Elena stepped forwards and held out an expectant hand. I paused before reluctantly relenting. "Aunt Jenna is mom there? Elena wants advice on poor life choices and we would be eternally grateful if somebody could pick us up."_

 _"Us?" Jenna repeated shrewdly and I raised my shoulders in a half-hearted shrug._

 _"I'm bored."_

 _"Having second thoughts of ditching family night?" I could already hear the smug lilt to her tone and I let her relish in that victory._

 _For five whole seconds._

 _"Are you playing Pictionary?" I questioned her mildly._

 _"Yeah," came her gleeful reply._

 _"Are you drawing?"_

 _"Of course."_

 _"Then no. Not really." In the background I could hear stifled laughter and the tiny pit in my stomach extinguished. Least mom and dad weren't too angry about Elena sneaking me out if their sense of humour still remained intact. "But I am a tad bit tipsy. And I want my bed."_

 _I didn't allow Jenna a chance to reply as I thrust the phone into my sister's hand. She walked a small distance away to give herself the semblance of privacy._

 _"Hey, it's me," she uttered and I craned my head slightly to one side and slowly edged forwards to listen in. "Matt and I got into a fight," she explained hurriedly. "He was talking about college and marriage and all the stuff that he always talks about and I just..." her voice broke and I chewed the inside of my lip sadly. "I couldn't."_

 _There was a small pause. Elena's doe eyes swam with hopeless tears threatening to fall as she whispered, "Yeah, but I don't want to lose him."_

 _I stepped forwards, intrigued in mom's reply and after a few more moments, Elena hung up the phone. I watched her as she closed her eyes and let out a deep steadying breath. "I'm breaking up with him," she whispered._

 _And I had already bloody recommended to her that little snippet._

 _I leaned languidly back against the tree and crossed my arms, adopting an expression of utmost offence. "So you listen to mom's stellar advice but not mine?" I replied mockingly but Elena decided not to listen to my comment in favour of filing through her own thoughts._

 _"I'm setting him free, that's what matters," she finally replied. It was her meek attempt to assure herself. "He'll be fine."_

 _I wasn't so sure. The quarterback was already besotted with my sister. Although letting him go was the right thing to do, I knew that all future encounters with Matt Donovan would be awkward, distant and cold for a very long time to come. That boy wouldn't be moving on for a while._

 _Elena remained lost in her thoughts and I continued my silent observation of her, the world still spinning around me as the alcohol seeped through my bloodstream._

 _Not five minutes had passed and I soon found myself surrounded by the familiar warmth of the car._

 _Mom and Dad had both come, said it wasn't family night without us. I couldn't feel more guilty. I would have been fine walking back but Elena insisted._

 _And what she said usually goes. As always._

 _Head sagging softly against the window, I turned to press my forehead against the cool glass pane, allowing the condensation to cool my flushed face._

 _The conversation we had in the car I barely remembered as I stared unseeingly out the window, watching the rain steadily pour from the skies._

 _And then Elena began to scream. The tires screeched, the car swerved... and then we were falling._

 _All I could feel was pain. Sharp, stinging agony. I couldn't breathe, too winded to inhale a single, simple breath. My eyes wouldn't open, my head too heavy to move away from the window from where it had smacked against the unyielding glass pane._

 _My surroundings were blurring, I could hear the engine spluttering and wheezing on the brink of death but still holding on to a single threaded strand. It wasn't enough. It was simply too weak to restart._

 _Somewhere to the left I could make out Elena's faint yells. "Dad?! Dad!"_

 _"We're gonna be okay, I promise," Dad replied but even with his reassurances I could feel my shoes dampening. Water was seeping over my trainers, up my legs. Encasing them in an inescapable, liquid tomb._

 _Yet I couldn't find it in me to feel afraid. Everything hurt; my body screamed and ached and throbbed but I was too tired to soothe the pain._

 _With great resilience, I moved my arm up to my head, coating my quivering fingers in something sticky at my temple before all my energy gave out. My muscles surrendered and my arm flopped to the side. My head lolled, no longer finding the strength to stay up._

 _"Dad! Oh my God, Kiah!"_

 _My sister was shouting. Screaming. Pleading with some unknown entity for help._

 _A low groan vibrated in my throat but it never made it past my lips._

 _"Kiah sweetheart, I need you to stay awake a bit longer, okay?" Dad's tone was desperate. But I could no longer hear him. He was barely an echo passing over my ears._

* * *

 _I was floating through a dark chasm of mist and wind and rain. Weightless and free, I flew through a colourless sky. I let my eyelids flutter closed as I revelled in the feeling of complete and utter peace._

 _And then the peace was shattered into tiny shards. My body jerked and my eyes shot open as my feet hit solid ground. I stumbled forwards, barely catching my balance as I straightened up and looked around._

 _'One thing was for certain,' a small part of me mused. 'Wherever I was, it was not in Mystic Falls.'_

 _I turned this way and that, taking strict note of my surroundings. I was standing on a pavement edge. Buildings of various shapes and sizes lined the wide, open street. But the colour was faded, not as vibrant, like an incomplete coating of paint, washed away by each drop of rain which pelted the smooth, stone ground._

 _My footsteps never made a sound as I walked through the desolate city like a silent ghost. The rain poured steadily around me, dampening my clothes, my shoes, my hair. Shuddering, I pushed the dripping deep maple strands impatiently behind my ears and pulled my jacket tighter around me but the dark denim offered little comfort of warmth._

 _Thicker shadows rose up around me as I glanced around the dark street, looking for something, some kind of clue pertaining to my lucid dreaming of a faded city._

 _It was over my shoulder, to the corner on my immediate right that I saw it, stood apart from the surrounding drab colours. It didn't quite fit with the lined buildings of dominoes waiting to fall._

 _The wrought iron gates loomed over me; its shadow casting my face in darkness. I gripped its railings, peering inside but the gas lamps and antique statues with creepers crawling over their stone frames did nothing to hold my attention. It was the iron sigil plastered sturdily upon the towering brick pillar. Upon the metal crest protruded an elegant letter 'M'._

 _The curiosity was almost stifling and I fell victim to intrigue. I shakily reached out and let my fingers lightly trace over the rusted crest, feeling the smoothness against my skin despite the centuries of decay. I couldn't pull away, becoming more entranced the longer I stared. A faint wind swept past my face and I shivered at its icy cold touch on my flesh._

 _"You're not supposed to be here."_

 _My body froze. The hairs on the back of my neck tingled from unease and a rising, paralyzing fear. It was a casual, airy statement but I noticed the subtle undertone. The voice held a dark menace. A danger. A tone sharper than the cutting edge of a knife._

 _One thing was now certain. I was not alone here. I was being watched. And he was standing right behind me._

 _I slowly turned. My heart pumped blood through my veins with a vigorous, pulsing adrenaline._

 _He stepped into my line of sight, the only vibrant light in this shadowed city of slate colour. And when I saw him, everything froze._

 _'It was like I had been flung back in time,' I mused as I let my gaze roam over his frame, never daring to cast a glance upon his face. 'Because this man seemed to have been pulled out of some twentieth century novel.'_

 _A black waistcoat covered a grey collared shirt which had been rolled carelessly up at the sleeves; the fabric fitted so snugly to his frame that I could make out the faint, lean muscles rippling underneath. Swallowing hard to dampen my dry throat, my eyes flitted down to his dark dress pants and smooth black shoes._

 _He was one of the elite; he carried himself with confidence. Borderline arrogance. And it drew me in like a moth to a flame, my background yearning so potent and rising with every passing second._

 _Apprehension flooded my veins and my legs locked themselves in place as I fought the terrifying urge to step forwards but a saner part of my mind was holding me back; some primal instinct urging me to run far away._

 _Because it had noticed the little things._

 _At a first glance, there was a subtle grace to his steps as he moved, like the smooth flow of a river... but every pace seemed calculated. The more I stared, the more unsettled the river became._

 _He was gauging my reaction, I realised with underlying horror. Because now he was advancing swiftly, cornering me in before I lost my nerve._

 _Heart pounding, I stumbled back. That was when I raised my gaze, daring to look upon the face of this shadowed stranger. Then and there,_ _I quickly noted that there was something very, very wrong._

 _"Why do you have no face?" The words came tumbling quick out of my mouth and the man paused in his steps. I should have stopped there but once I had started I just couldn't stop. "Your head is just this one big blur, it's creepy."_

 _"Now isn't this interesting," he exclaimed as he drew near. "For what seems like a bloody lifetime, I've been trapped in this merciless stasis and here I've been sent a woman who can't appreciate my dashingly good looks. Much like I can't appreciate the pretty little bird standing in front of me... welcome to my own personal brand of hell, darling."_

 _He was close enough for me to feel his breath on my cheek, his body flush against mine. My lips slowly parted to let out a steadying breath. I couldn't move, my mouth too dry to speak. A faint pink dusted my cheeks, baffled by his sudden change in emotion._

 _He leaned in and I instinctively craned my head to the side as his lips lightly brushed the shell of my ear. My body stilled; taut with anticipation as his silky whisper flooded me with sinful temptation. "Although, I have to admit, this is the most entertainment I've had in centuries."_

 _"You should get out more often then," I whispered, unable to avoid the jibe and he pulled back slightly. I could tell he intrigued by my dry humour rising up in self-defence, to distract me from an unknown fear still present in the back of my mind. "Go to the circus, watch a parade. Find things which add a bit more flare."_

 _"Well, it's not as if I can exactly pick and choose here," he smoothly retorted. "Blame my dear bastard of a brother, condemning me to an eternity of black endless misery... you'll just have to do."_

 _I couldn't begin to fathom the implications of his words as his hand suddenly shot out, clasping over my wrist. Without warning, I found myself pulled up against him. My eyes widened and I clenched his biceps hard as he dipped his head and trailed his lips slowly up my throat. My heart stuttered when he paused, hovering over my pulse._

 _A scrape of teeth over my flesh had me inhaling a short breath to hold back a sudden surge of fear. "What the hell are you doing?" I stuttered._

 _"Nothing on you, love." He nipped the skin lightly, eliciting an unwilling gasp from my throat. "Usually I enjoy a chase but I am quite famished."_

 _The words hit me like a blow into reality. Without conscious thought, my palm was on his cheek and pushing his face away. Then arching my back, I put as much distance between us as the arm holding me tight allowed._

 _"Ok dick," I snapped, glaring up at the hazy face before me. "Brother issues be damned. Get your bloody jaws away from my neck."_

 _"Just one small taste," he breathed, turning his head, his warm breath wafting over my palm. "I'm not usually the type to turn down something so tempting and you darling, smell delectable."_

 _My eyes narrowed into slits. "Yeah mate, try all you want, this is my dream and it's not fucking happening."_

 _My hands slid to his chest and pressed hard. The arms around me loosened and not one to miss an opportunity, I stumbled back, running a hand agitatedly through my hair._

 _"Great, just my bloody luck isn't it?" I muttered. "The first time I ever dream up a man and he turns out to be a cannibal."_

 _"Your dream?" he questioned behind me and I rolled my eyes, listening to the vague undertones of humour. "My my, don't we have some peculiar kinks. Don't worry, I'm all too willing to oblige." He approached me again. "Although calling me a cannibal is quite contemptuous don't you think? I much rather prefer vampire."_

 _When he reached for me again, I swiftly smacked his hands before backing away and he chuckled, unaffected._

 _"Shame this dream didn't blur out your voice as well as your head," I commented in disdain._

 _"Now why would you want to do that?" he questioned innocently and I crossed my arms, refusing to answer or even look in his direction. He laughed quietly and retreated back one step, holding up his arms in a gesture of surrender. "Okay I'll admit it, we got off on a bad foot. Mostly my fault."_

 _I scoffed and reluctantly let my arms drop. "You think?"_

 _If he noticed my sarcasm, it didn't sway him in the slightest. "Let's start over. What's your name, love?"_

 _Disbelief coated my face and I blinked, unable to keep up with whatever fucked up thought processes were passing through his head. "What makes you think you deserve to know?" I questioned._

 _"Oh come now darling, don't be a tease. I'd rather put a name to that pretty face before you divulge your life story to me." He extended a hand, wiggling his fingers. "So how about it?"_

 _Despite the situation, I found myself hiding a small smile. We both knew he hadn't the faintest idea of what I looked like._

 _Sighing, I surrendered and stepped forwards, placing my hand in his. "I'm..." I suddenly broke off, confusion passing through my mind as my throat clogged. "I'm..."_

 _"Cat got your tongue?" The teasing lilt to his tone aggravated me as I attempted again and again, to no avail._

 _"I can't say it," I uttered and my eyebrows lowered. "Why can't I say it?"_

 _It was silent for a few seconds and I watched him, our hands still joined between us._

 _"Any luck?" I queried._

 _When he finally spoke again, his tone was as baffled as mine. "Well that's quite the conundrum. Seems we'll both have to put that curiosity of ours to one side for now, little dreamer. Until then... call me Ares."_

 _"Violent and untamed," I mused. Then I smirked. "It's like it was made for you."_

 _"Come on," he encouraged softly. "Indulge me a little."_

 _I chewed on my lip, carefully considering my knowledge of the Greek Gods and Goddesses I encountered growing up in film and literature. Then it came to me. And I decided to play along. "Pasithea."_

 _"Thea." He lifted my hand to his lips and brushed a light kiss over the skin. "A pleasure darling."_

 _My hand suddenly contracted around his. The two of us looked down and I watched, nonplussed as my nails dug deep welts into his flesh._

 _It was then when I felt it. An agony so excruciating, I wanted to scream. It tore through my chest, my heart my lungs, slashing them into ribbons. Spots danced over my eyes and I began to dangerously sway._

 _Sensing something was wrong, Ares' arms swiftly encircled my waist and my arms shot out, hands clutching his shoulders for support. "I know this roguish body has swooned women for centuries but let's not get too ahead of ourselves just yet," he commented lightly and I quickly released him, stumbling back on heavy legs._

 _"I..." I spluttered, turning this way and that in blind panic. My breaths came in shocked and ragged gasps, fighting desperately for air to fuel my burning lungs. "I think I'm d-dying."_

 _My knees buckled beneath me. I fell. And time began to slow._

 _The world darkened to a lightless black as I smacked hard against the ground. The buildings around me dissolved into a grey mist. Shaking, I flattened my palms on the tarmac and attempted to push myself up but my muscles screamed and I let out a hoarse cry before collapsing down._

 _Above my head, lightning bolts struck the sky in violent bursts, the thunder roared in anger and the rain pelted down from the black abyss._

 _An unintelligible voice was suddenly calling out through the turbulent sky and Ares looked up, his head to one side as if trying to listen before kneeling down by my convulsing form. He brushed aside a sopping strand of my hair with strange tenderness, a far cry from all the arrogance before._

 _"Delicate little thing aren't you?" he mused._

 _My insides were aching, gasping, screaming and I echoed that sound as my body contorted into an arch, flipping itself around onto my front. My palms slammed against the ground to brace myself as water spilled from my mouth and mixed in with the puddles of rainwater._

 _"I'm afraid," I managed to gasp through a violent stream of coughs and wretches. I was dying and I was well and truly terrified. My white face looked up to Ares, an avenging angel in the gathering darkness. "I don't want to die," I begged. "Not yet. I'm not ready."_

 _"Oh, bloody hell," Ares growled and his arms were immediately around me, pulling my limp body close to his chest. His hand curled over my nape, stroking the clammy skin as he pressed my head firmly against his shoulder. "Don't tell anybody I did this for you."_

 _I choked out a sob in reply and he held me tight as I uncontrollably jerked in his arms._

 _Suddenly I couldn't feel the warm comfort of his touch and wearily raised my head. My stomach turned. My hands were fading before my very eyes._

 _Ares was gone in a cascade of smoke and I was hurtling through blinding flashes of white light..._

* * *

 _'Beep. Beep. Beep.'_

 _The sound rang through my ears in its continuous, monotonous rhythm. Groaning, I forced my eyes open._

 _I was in a hospital of white walls and sterilized smells. To my right, the machine beeped steadily, mechanical proof of my continued existence. Then just off to my left, sitting close to my bedside were my sister and twin brother. Their stricken gazes stared back into my tired amber orbs._

 _I didn't tell them about the strange experience. I didn't want to. Although I remembered every word, I was already forgetting his smooth, tantalising tone. It was fading from my memory, melting away and it sent a stinging pang through my chest._

 _Whether a one off or not, nobody could ever know. Nobody would understand. Ares was a secret which was mine and mine alone to keep._

 _"You're okay," Elena breathed and I looked at her blankly, still uncomprehending. Before I had time to process her words, she had leaped forwards; her arms wrapping tight round my waist, her head buried in my neck. Her body shook uncontrollably._

 _"Course I'm okay I'm always okay," I whispered, a little surprised by her choked back sob. When she finally pulled back, I struggled into a more comfortable sitting position and Jeremy started forwards to help._

 _After sending a spiteful glower towards the needle embedded in my arm, I turned my undivided attention back to my siblings, replacing my ire with a grin._

 _"Wusses. The both of you," I uttered and the two of them blinked in synchrony. "Worrying about little ol' me?" I arched a perfect brow with a playful gleam in my eye. "Cry when I'm dead. Or rejoice in the devil's torment when I dance through the fires of hell."_

 _They didn't smile. No even a twitch to their lips. Dread began to pool in the pit of my stomach and my temple throbbed hard._

" _What is it?" I warily questioned. "What's wrong?" They didn't answer but I could see the tears in their eyes overflow and spill down their cheeks._

 _I quickly scanned the room and my heart began to clench and pound as I realised what was missing._

 _"Where's mom?" I whispered the question like a delicate child. The monitor beep was increasing to a violent crescendo as I tilted on the verge of panic. "Elena? Where's mom and dad?"_

 _The first of my tears fell._

 _That was the first crack in the bond of our family._

* * *

 _April 29, 2010 - Present Day._

After that I quickly came to realise that the small boring town of Mystic Falls was no stranger to death. As the number of resident casualties increased, I began to see him more and more... Ares... the stranger with a made up name. He never seemed to go away and my tolerating soon turned to welcoming.

I lay down once more, sinking back into the pillows and casted my gaze to the ceiling. The pen still spun between my fingers as I thought.

I suppose the truth of the matter was that I was lonely. And I liked to believe he was too.

Because the way he spoke to me... it felt like I was all he had.

A sad smile passed over my face as I wound my mind back over the past long year.

Although there had been so many insignificant losses which triggered my lucid dreaming, it was just over three months ago when the next number up on death's list hit me. Like a blow to the chest and knocking me off balance once more.

She wasn't family but I had still known her. I had still cared. And that counted.

* * *

 _January 23, 2010_

 _I was sitting in the living room, my whole body stone still, unable to fathom, to comprehend. In front of me the TV played, never pausing, never stopping. On the screen there stood a woman with short, wavy golden brown hair, her features forgettable but her expression was grave._

 _An image popped up on the top right of the screen and the frozen face in the photo I recognised all too well._

 _The golden haired woman spoke, her voice clear and it sent a cold, heart-breaking chill down my spine."... death of Victoria Donovan, a beloved sister, daughter and friend. At noon today, the residents of Mystic Falls will gather by the clock tower to mourn another tragic loss in their community. This is Andie Star reporting from WPKW9 news."_

 _Jeremy took a seat beside me, his dark eyes fixed unseeingly on the screen. "She would want me to move on with my life," he uttered and I blanched at the cold robotic edge to his voice._

 _Then my moment of surprise was quickly replaced by a red hot rage and it was quickly growing._

 _"How the hell can you just sit there and say that?" I whispered, my voice deadly and sensing my rising anger, my twin whipped around to face me. His mouth was open and about to retort but I wasn't having it. "You were a puppy chasing a bone when it came to that girl. And now you want to throw her away like yesterday's trash? Jump in the sack with that girl Anna the first chance you get?"_

 _I slammed my hands down on the wooden table, the bang echoing round the room. My brother flinched at the screech of the chair legs scraping back as I got to my feet._

 _"What the fuck is wrong with you, Jer?"_

 _Jeremy leapt to his feet, his dark orbs sparking with anger as he glared at my resolute amber eyes. "What the hell are you saying, Kiah?" he demanded and despite his taller frame, I squared my shoulders._

 _"Vicki Donovan may have been a druggie but she knew never to cross the line. She would never have left Matt alone."_

 _Jeremy froze and I took the opportunity to shove past him. It took a few seconds for him to shake himself out of it. "Hey, where are you going?" he shouted._

 _"To grieve the girl," I spat without turning round. "Don't fucking follow me."_

 _As I stormed around the corner to the stairs, I quickly found my pathway blocked by two people. I didn't even have to look to see who they both were. For one of them, his mouth usually spoke for itself._

 _And sure enough, there came the familiar, amused, sarcastic drawl. "Well the littlest Gilbert sure is testy today, wouldn't you say Elena?"_

 _"Damon," my sister chastised but I wasn't taking any more of this shit._

 _"Move it, friend zone,' I snarled and shoved past him, taking advantage of his momentary stunned silence._

 _Ignoring Elena's faint mumbles of, "Let her go," I ascended the stairs two at a time before collapsing on the bed and finally letting the tears fall._

 _Time passed, I realised. There were people outside living their lives and sparing no thought for the grieving girl curled up and crying silently by the second story window._

 _The light outside had died long before a faint knock sounded on my door._

 _"Can I come in?" Jeremy pleaded and I just shrugged my shoulders._

 _"It's a free country."_

 _He took a seat on the bed beside me and I slowly lifted my head off the comfort of my pillows._

 _"It couldn't have been a drug overdose," he whispered. "I thought that by going to Anna, she could help me get over her. Maybe even help me find out what happened."_

 _I tiredly pulled myself into a sitting position and curled up, wrapping my arms around my knees and clenching the corresponding wrist tight._

 _For a moment everything was silent. The unsaid apology settled between us._

 _I didn't feel the tear trickle down my cheek but I felt the small bite of coldness from the track it left. "Why does everybody have to die around us, Jer?" I whispered._

 _Out of my line of view, Jeremy froze and blinked hard. It was if he was recalling some long lost memory, his face one of faint shock and betrayal before changing to hard determination._

 _But he stayed by my side that night. The light of the moon shone brightly through the windows as his hand ran soothingly through my hair, gently coaxing me to a world where there was significantly less pain._

* * *

 _"Why so glum, chum? Who died?"_

 _I sighed and slumped down against the porch steps, not bothering to watch his approach. He never looked any different._ _His high statured attire never changed and I'd rather not be affected by his presence today like some giggling schoolgirl._

 _"If you're here to gloat or mock then piss off," I muttered and he exhaled a low sigh before flinging his body down beside mine. One leg bent towards his chest, the other stretched languidly out in front of him._

 _"Darling Thea, we really need to meet under less depressing circumstances."_

 _"If you have any suggestions I'm all bloody ears at this point," I uttered, staring blankly ahead._ _"Not that it matters anyway," I said with a cold laugh. "You're not real. You're just a fantasy."_

 _"I'm flattered."_

 _His hand slid beneath my arms and around my waist, pulling me to his side. I rested my head on his shoulder, too exhausted to pull away._

 _"Come on then, out with it," he encouraged and I bit down on my lip hard, catching my breath as his hand slipped under my shirt. His fingertips danced light circles along my skin and I shut my eyes tight, attempting to ignore the usual sizzle of heat which sparked with his every touch. "What did your wretched siblings do?"_

 _"Apart from the normal isolation and secrets?" I questioned wryly. "Deaths of people I care about which can't be explained?" I shook my head and quietly admitted, "I feel like an outsider looking in."_

 _"Nothing wrong with being the black sheep of the family," Ares hummed and I tilted my head, catching on quick to the resentful edge residing behind his tone._

 _"Might take us both a tad bit longer to actually believe that," I murmured and as expected, his fingers paused momentarily in their light caresses on my skin._

 _"So where exactly have you brought me this time, little dreamer?"_

 _I nodded to myself, not surprised by his obvious deflection and surrendered to the normal light-hearted banter to distract us from the reality we lived in._

 _"Finally admitting that you're just something that exists in my head?" I wondered._

 _"For today," he responded lightly. "Tomorrow is another day."_

 _"It's home," I uttered, staring up at the building in front of me. Focusing in on the windows where the light shone enough for me to see shadows moving behind the drawn curtains. "The way it used to be."_

 _But it was all fictional imagination. Deep down I knew if I stood up now and opened the front door, nobody would be there to greet me._

 _"You know. This place seems oddly familiar..." Ares mused but it was all faint to my ears as I whipped around to face him fully. He drew back, faintly fazed by the sudden loss of heat between us._

 _"Why do you appear to me?" I demanded and when he opened his mouth to reply, I quickly added, "And none of that crap about bestowing your handsome looks upon the rest of mankind."_

 _"I only care about bestowing my handsome looks upon you, darling. The rest of mankind can suffer."_

 _I cocked my head to the side, letting him know of my obvious disapproval and he reluctantly elaborated._

 _"Because I'm bored... I have nothing better to do, nowhere else to go..."_

 _He then stared straight into my eyes and for a fleeting second, I thought he could see me through the hazy blur surrounding my face._

 _"Because if not," he said seriously. "I think I might just go mad."_

* * *

 _April 29, 2010 - Present Day._

A sudden yet soft knock on the door jerked me from my swallowing, melancholy thoughts.

Dragging my gaze away from the little black book upon the wooden desk, I sat up. The pen fell from my limp grasp onto the softness of the quilt beneath me. Blinking back a second wave of tears which threatened to spill down my cheeks, I rubbed a hand over my weary face and managed to force out a hoarse, "Come in."

The door silently swung open and I raised my tired head to appraise the sullen expression coating my twin's face as he peered round the doorframe.

"You ready?" His voice was quiet. Soft. I knew it was his attempt at comfort but it didn't make it any less awkward. It had been a long few months since we last properly talked.

Forcing out a jerky nod, I pushed myself from the bed and hastily brushed down my long, black dress to smooth out the faint wrinkles. "Elena here?" I questioned as I threw my long tresses up into a high pony. The maple brown locks seemed less vibrant today. More deeper in colour... darker. Coinciding with the events to come.

"She's coming down, she's just reading a letter - from John," he added at my probing gaze and I paused in the last loop of the bobble as my heart faintly panged once more.

John Gilbert. My uncle. Elena's biological father.

Just another dead family member to add to the list of the departed.

"We're cursed aren't we?" I whispered into the silent room. Jeremy looked in my direction but his eyes were just as unseeing as mine. I slowly straightened up, resisting the urge to crawl back into bed and curl up into a tight ball. Instinctively, I crossed my arms to suppress an involuntary shiver which had nothing to do with the cold. "Seems like everybody we love just ends up getting hurt."

"It's not our fault," Jeremy muttered darkly, his gaze narrowed as we descended the stairs. Curious, I followed his line of sight and stopped short.

Jeremy sighed as I hissed, "Why the fuck are they here?"

"For Elena," he whispered back and my shoulders slumped.

 _Of course._

I could feel their looks of pity boring into the back of my head. It threatened to drown me with tears but I never once turned. In times like these, I envied my sister. She always had somebody by her side. I needed that. I needed stability. Somebody to dull the pain... the overwhelming grief which threatened to drag me under.

"I need him," I whispered and Jeremy looked to me.

"Need who?" he questioned.

I didn't answer. And he didn't care, the two of us too consumed in our loss for him to even start questioning that something could be very wrong with my small words of admittance.

When a creak sounded from above, I straightened up and stared ahead without emotion as my sister descended the stairs.

For a moment we all looked at each other. The last remaining members of the Gilbert family brought together once more to connect in their shared grief.

"Let's go."

* * *

The funeral was beautiful and it was sad.

I stood at the back, a silent observer. No one approached or offered me comfort. I suppose they didn't know how to any more.

Jeremy stood tall, a grieving boy trying to be strong for his family and Elena remained kneeling beside the grave, tears streaking down her cheeks. When Damon passed her to stand by Stefan, she glanced up and the two of them shared a small smile. But there was something in the older Salvatore's eyes today. A sense of hopeless loss.

My brows furrowed as I scanned the cemetery. The more I watched, the more unanswered questions were uncovered. My gaze drifted from Bonnie to Stefan and back again. I could see grief and guilt in their faces... and I could also see rage.

Secrets and lies surrounded me and for once, I didn't want answers.

When everybody started to dwindle away, I stepped out from beneath the shadow of the large oak and knelt down.

As I stared at the elegant words forever etched into stone, new thoughts diffused through my head. Where were Aunt Jenna's friends from the university? Why did they not show? Surely they would have heard about the car crash? Did they simply not care?

But a sadder truth made its way to the forefront of my mind as the tears began to fall.

Had she felt just as alone? Neglected by our family's deception?

"I lied you know," I whispered. "About the sodding Pictionary. I didn't give a damn that you sucked, I didn't give a damn that you were a shoddy guardian."

A glimmer of a small, faint smile crossed my face before it was overridden by a soft sob.

"You made me laugh when I couldn't," I choked quietly. "You got me through hell when I thought the flames would mar my skin."

I extended my arm and lay a single dark red rose on the freshly dug soil. I never felt the sting of the thorn pierce my flesh or the single speck of blood which dripped from my fingertip.

"I love you, Aunt Jenna," I whispered. "I couldn't have done this without you."

As I rose to my feet, my attention was drawn to the left, towards another grave which made my heart sting.

 _IN MEMORY_

 _GRAYSON GILBERT_

 _MIRANDA SOMMERS GILBERT_

 _MAY 23, 2009_

 _LOVING PARENTS_

I inhaled a deep breath and walked away, leaving the echoes of the dead behind.

The rose petals on Jenna Sommers' grave glistened in the magenta hues of the setting sun.

* * *

 _For once I was glad he couldn't see my face. He wouldn't have liked what he saw. My amber eyes had lost their shine. My ponytail was gradually coming undone, the dark strands falling lifelessly around my face._

 _But I should have known better. By now he could easily see through my every facade._

 _Ares took one look at my slumped shoulders, my quivering frame and held out one simple hand._

 _"Come here."_

 _I slipped my shaking hand into his and he tugged me to him. His arms encircled my torso as I wrapped mine around his shoulders._

 _"Back again, darling? One might start to get the wrong idea."_

 _I smiled sadly and pressed my forehead against his chest. My eyes closed and my body relaxed as his fingers teased a comforting path through my hair. "Well, you distract me," I breathed. "So don't get too ahead of yourself."_

 _"Are you using me, little dreamer?"_ _he exclaimed in mock offence and I raised my head._

 _"Well you are mine," I declared with a light laugh, reaching up and running my thumb lightly along his jaw, over the small cleft on his chin as I attempted to imagine the defined shape in my head. "A part of my imagination."_

 _"Well now, I feel branded," he uttered, sounding utterly put out. "But I suppose I can allow your claim on me until I get that pesky dagger out of my chest. After that our roles are reversed."_

 _My heart stuttered as he suddenly tangled his hand in my hair and angled my head to one side._

 _"Now, where will I decide to mark you?" he mused and paused for a second, watching me tremble in anticipation before leaning in._

 _"How about here?" A quick nip at the base of my throat had me jerking in his inescapable hold as I attempted to hold back a low moan. He was drowning me in a seductive sea of pleasure and the damn bastard knew it. He had been playing this game a long time after all._

 _His lips brushed over my cheek to the corner of my lips and I shuddered, feeling his hot breath on mine. My lips were parted, my cheeks had flooded with heat. He was waiting for my next move. And I didn't disappoint._

 _"You can try. Cannibal."_

 _He laughed. "I'll take that as a challenge."_

 _His grip on my hair loosened but he continued to hold me, his forehead pressed against my own, still craving the temptation of the touch I had denied._

 _Although I couldn't see his eyes, I knew they were burning with dark promise into mine._

 _"You know, I'm starting to like our little talks," I breathed, meaning it as a light tease but Ares paused._

 _His thumb absentmindedly rubbed light circles over the back of my hand as he thoughtfully replied, "You know what, strange as it is, so am I."_

* * *

 _April 30, 2010 - Present Day._

My eyelids fluttered open with a small smile. In the past few months I had loved and I had lost. Although I still had time to grieve, the world would keep on turning on and today was a new day.

Ares' words had given me strength. I knew what I needed to do. To rid myself of the past and start anew.

I sat up, still clothed in my black funeral dress and slowly crossed the room with all my thoughts and feelings a whir.

What would I say? What would I write? Who in the hell would believe me anyway if I ever spoke the truth aloud?

All these questions swarmed my mind and somehow, as I slid gracefully into the chair behind the desk, upon which the little black book lay, I knew exactly how to start. The way my sister always started.

With some paper, a pen and a story to tell.

I took in a deep breath and lifted the pen once more. It quivered between my fingertips as I finally placed the nib to paper.

 _"Dear Diary..."_

And just like that the ink began to flow. And it would continue to do so until my hand muscles screamed for sweet release.

 _"I am Kiannah Gilbert. And this is my story. A tale of an imaginary boy and the girl who dared to dream."_


	2. The Birthday - Part One

_June 21st, 2010_

 _Dear Diary._

 _How am I supposed to explain to my family that I'm glad Stefan Salvatore has disappeared off the map? Everybody is so focused on finding him that they have never once spared a single thought in my direction. Not to my thoughts, my actions... not even to my presence._

 _As long as I am back in the house no later than sundown, my sister does not find it in her need to worry... and yet sometimes I still wonder if maybe she should..._

I leant back against the chair, tapping the pen nib absentmindedly against the desk as I mused. My head tilted ever so subtly to the right. Amber eyes shone as my thoughtful gaze looked out of the clear window, over the street and fixated on the orange and red smudges of a vibrant setting sun.

My lips parted in awe and I let out a gentle exhale. When my breath fogged up the glass pane, I smiled and turned away, my attention turning back to the desk. The book lay wide open, the pages only half filled with ink.

I chewed on my lip before placing the nib back down, letting the scribbles of my deepest most _desperate_ thoughts leak out in black ink onto the page. And once I let them, there they would set permanently until the passage of time degraded those written feelings away.

 _Because if she even cared to notice, then maybe she would have realised by now that my routine never once changed. I would get up, I would eat, I would stretch my legs... and like every day for the past month when I wasn't working my way through endless shifts at the Grill, I would find myself taking a jaunt out to the Mystic Cemetery._

 _There I would spill out any feelings, which couldn't be written down, to the echoes of my family etched into a small slab of stone. It wasn't as if my parents or aunt could complain. The dead could only listen after all._

Familiar tears burned behind glistening orbs and I angrily blinked them back, refusing to let them fall, refusing to go back to that wounded feeling of stabbing grief which had very slowly begun to close over. It would become just another scar on my chest. A reminder of what I had lost and a promise that I would carry them with me for as long as my heart continued to beat.

My muscles cramped and my fingers flexed as the sound of rapid scratching filled the room once more.

 _Like I said, this whole thing was almost routine. It's a constant cycle; unending and unchanging… and then the night would overshadow that sunset horizon._

My hand automatically began to relax until the pain in my muscles faded to a dull, throbbing ache. A small smile made its way over my face.

 _Truth is, everything I do during the day is a way to distract myself. To make time run that little bit faster. Because once that sun disappears, the light will fade and the darkness will finally rise… and I will no longer feel so alone._

 _Because what my subconscious mind had created within those hours of unconsciousness, on that dark and fateful night during last year's spring, had turned these few weeks into the summer of a lifetime…_

My fingers loosened and the pen clattered lightly onto the wood. All my recent internal struggles were finally gone. Dealt with, spilled out and locked away onto the fragile paper.

With actions which were almost automatic at this point, I reached out and gently closed the book, my mind now clear. I hid it away on my bookshelf, within a worn copy of Freud's _The Interpretation of Dreams._ There, it would conceal my secrets within until the next time my brain clouded itself with loud thoughts which needed to be expressed into the written word.

My eyes closed and I let go, willingly embracing darkness as black as the night sky, before entering my familiar world of faded colour.

* * *

I always seemed to wind up in the same place these days; the place we had first met on that one fateful evening, the night where I had narrowly escaped death's icy clutches.

That's where the two of us now stood. Inside the courtyard of the large stone compound which rose up around us. To our left, the familiar metal crested M lay upon the brick pillar beside the open iron gates.

A year ago, I may have felt trapped and afraid in spending my darkest nights with him but now… being here, he made me feel fearless, _safe_. And maybe in his case, the illusion of safety rang true for him too. He had told me once that this house in New Orleans was one of the only few places that he had ever regarded as home.

His hands were curved over my hips, the inner strength behind his hold keeping my body pressed firmly against his. I could feel the warmth from his every touch radiating into my flesh, igniting every particle with sizzling hot energy.

To an outsider, his actions foretold a silent claim upon me and in a way it was. It was his way of reassuring himself that in this moment, I was as real to him as he was to me. I could not move away even if I wanted to.

A sly smile covered my face as my fingers teased a path through his hair. When the light rumble sounded from his throat I pushed back my grin, knowing exactly what strings to pull.

Ares was many things. He was charm, he was assured arrogance. His stance had the dark sensation of a predator, backed up by this notion that he was apparently a _vampire_ , but when it came to appearance, his vanity took hold.

No one ever _dared_ to make a mockery of _that_ …

"I'm telling you, I prefer my men _blonde,_ " I teased and his head tilted to the side.

By now I could read his actions so easily, to the point in which I knew that if I could see his facial features, they would be constructed into something akin to amused disbelief.

" _Blonde_ hair," I breathed. My thumb trailed a soft line down his face as I gazed up, avidly trying to see into the orbs which I knew would be staring darkly back into mine. " _Blue_ eyes."

I allowed my eyes to shut as I began to envisage it all in my mind. Like if I tried hard enough I could bend his featureless appearance to my will. His deep chuckle grated my insides.

"That's quite an explicit assumption, little dreamer and as much as I would love to indulge those very specific fantasies of yours, we've already been through this-"

I swiftly cut him off with a finger to his lips, refusing to let him deter me from my concentration but in one swift movement, his hand enclosed over mine. He brought it around his shoulder, inadvertently pulling me closer so his lips could brush a light path along my jaw.

"-You're stuck with the dashing debonair chap you see before you and not to worry, when we come face to face you'll be anything but disappointed." His warm breath wafted over my ear and I shuddered, my cheeks flushing red with a new heat. "So let's not be such a _tease_."

Sighing, I allowed my eyes to open. "Why can't my imagination just agree with me for once?" I muttered and let out a low huff of breath which was void of any true irritation as I allowed my fingers to idly interlock at the nape of his neck.

"Well once you start believing that I am a tad bit more than your subconscious, our relationship will get a lot more interesting."

"Well we both know that's _never_ gonna happen," I replied. "I mean, if you truly _are_ real and not just some result of my typical teenage fantasy…" My hands lowered until my palms were resting flat on his chest, feeling the taut muscles rippling underneath. "-then what the hell is all this Abercrombie crap going on under here?"

"Now now darling," he gently cajoled. "As much as I am all for this newfound confidence of yours, I will not allow a lecherous girl like you to steal my virtue."

"Oh Ares, you're truly a paragon of goodness and purity for all mankind," I drawled back, my amber eyes glittering with humour. My hand slipped under his shirt. He drew in a sharp intake of breath and my lips parted as the muscle flexed beneath my fingertips.

"Nah, I'm _so_ not buying this," I denied, only just managing to keep my voice steady. "And even if I'm wrong and you are real, then you don't really leave much to the imagination do you?" I shook my head mockingly. "Bit _disappointing_."

His hand wound itself in my hair without warning, his fingers threading through the locks and entrapping them in a clenched grasp. He tugged back once and for a long moment he held me there, my head arched, my body tense as he stared intently into my wide eyes.

Throat growing rapidly dry, I hoarsely whispered, "What are you do-?"

"Shh," he crooned.

He leaned down and lightly brushed his lips over mine, swallowing my surprised gasp. My hand dropped from his shoulder to grasp a tight fistful of his shirt whilst the other trembled against his chest; my palm heating up against his warm flesh.

He pulled back for the briefest of seconds, his eyes scanning over my body for any sign of resistance and before I had time to think, to speak, he swept my mouth up in a desperate more demanding kiss.

My body jerked and a strong arm banded tight around my waist, pressing my body vehemently close.

Lost in the sensation, I relinquished myself fully to his hold as he swept his tongue between my parted lips. A dazed moan broke through my throat at the sheer taste of his fervent desire and with a low groan of satisfaction; he drew my lower lip between his teeth, claiming the pink flesh with one playful nip.

Then he pulled back. It was an action which ensured that he was far enough away so our lips could almost touch but close enough that I could still feel his breath on my skin. I bit back a wanton protest. He had ensured that I would be locked in a never-ending state of anticipation until he decided otherwise.

I reeled from the sudden shock of his actions and the unexpected _thrill_ , the _craving_ to once again drown in the barest of touches which sent my nerves aflame.

"Now if you're quite finished de-masculinising my ego, little dreamer I believe we are quite overdue on our little chat. So..." he deliberately trailed off, absorbing the sound of my shocked pants of breath. Listening avidly to the rapid drum of my heart. "What enthralling tales do you have to spill from that pretty mouth of yours tonight?"

" _Pretty_?" I purred and he instantly stilled. "Is that _really_ the _best_ you can come up with?" The familiar spark of triumph lit inside me once again at catching him off guard. "Got to be honest, I'm a _little_ insulted. I _told you_ , I'm a rare witch of exotic beauty hailing from the Hogwartsian realm of Rivendell. Nice place," I released a wishful sigh. "You should really come visit sometime."

Ares let out a low delighted laugh as he reluctantly leaned back. His hold on my hair relaxed, allowing the strands to fall loose between his fingers.

"Now who's lost their honesty," he exclaimed and I chewed on my cheek to hold back a smile. "Although come to think of it, I've met a few witches in my time. Perhaps one day you'll meet one." His thumb idly traced my collarbone as he mused, "Perhaps one day I'll take you."

It was like a switch had been suddenly turned off in my mind. I didn't answer. No longer could I form the words to speak. My brain and all its many thoughts had finally fallen silent as a cold, numbing chill froze my veins.

 _One day_... the words were a vague promise which could never be fulfilled. I knew that and I'm sure he did too but we always tried to avoid that path at all cost. And yet he would talk of a future anyway and I would just simply smile... because in the end… the only thing that we could ever do was _hope_.

My hands fell away from his chest.

A small but forceful pressure on my chin had my face turning back in his direction. I raised a brow but Ares's grip remained tight on my jaw. So that I couldn't look away.

"I always know when you're deflecting, Thea," he murmured, all previous amusement gone to be replaced by a sound so soft and so strangely gentle for somebody who revelled in chaos and bloodshed. "What is it darling?" He brushed his thumb over my cheek. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I whispered back, swallowing hard and blinking back tears for a future which in reality, would never come to pass. "Nothing at all." A hoarse laugh left my lips. "Surprisingly enough, no one I care about has managed to push up the daisies in the last twenty four hours," I recalled.

"And yet you still feel alone out there, don't you?" Ares uttered and I blinked hard. I tried desperately to turn my head away in a futile attempt to stop the tears from falling but his hold on my chin remained firm as he lightly swept away the stray droplets. "I suppose that's agony enough for the both of us."

 _Except that Ares was part of a family who didn't care if he lived or died,_ my mind murmured to itself. And that alone was agony enough for _me_.

I rapidly forced that thought away. "And yet every night I get stuck here with your insufferable personality," I deflected, finally regaining my composure and only then did he reluctantly release his hold.

"Harsh words but quite frankly, I know your little secret," he pointed out. "You once said you liked our talks… you don't want to get rid of me."

"Deep down we both know that there is some idiotic part of me that agrees with you..." I replied with a sad smile. "But you're just _fiction_ , Ares." His arm slowly loosened around my waist and I sighed. "An a thousand year old vampire bound to a family you despise. What the hell does this say about _me_?"

I backed away from the heat of his hold and began to pace as he watched on, absorbing my confliction through a curious smile which I would never see.

"I'm not one of those Twilight girls," I muttered, adamantly shaking my head. "I don't have a fang fetish... if my sister ever _knew_..." My stomach flipped and I trailed off in hesitant thought.

"I see you've still not told her that you're sleeping with me," Ares hummed lightly and I nodded distractedly, not really taking in his words as I mused.

"There are plenty of other ways to rile her." _Grab her attention_ , my mind corrected but I forced that thought back. "Especially tonight. I might as well make her eighteenth birthday one that she'll remember for a _long_ time." I looked at him before I queried, "Go big or go home, right?"

I could almost feel his underlying approval. "Care to share your devious little plan?"

"Well, her friend Caroline will already cover part of it if she hasn't already," I replied. "She's not the type to let this event slide past the town unaware." I deliberately trailed off and sucked in a nervous breath at the risk I was about to take but it was necessary.

After Ares' most recent feat, his boldest attempt so far to cross our friendship line in order to test my reaction to him, I _had_ to do this. I _needed_ to know that it wasn't one sided. That I had the same effect on him which he had on me. That it had not just been some distraction for him, a new way to counter his boredom in his _distinct_ state of entrapment.

"Then all I need is a single set of straying eyes," I muttered to myself and his body stiffened. "All he needs to do is like me." I stared at him for a long second before I casually recalled, "It's like what Caroline always said. Boy likes girl. Girl likes boy. _Sex_."

There was a long, silent pause.

And then Ares moved forward. Approaching me… cornering me. "You would truly flaunt yourself at some spineless commoner who gives you _one second_ of his attention?" His tone flared with subtle rage, every inch of his body was taut. "When my bastard brother no longer keeps me so easily subdued, I swear to you, I'll-"

" _What_ Ares?" I demanded. I lifted my chin in defiance but my pulse hammered hard. Step by step, he lithely closed the distance between us. The expectant adrenaline surged through my body once more, fuelling my blood with liquid fire. "What _exactly_ are you going to do?" My voice had turned to a taunt. A taunt for him to retaliate.

And he didn't disappoint.

His hands closed on my arms, his fingers spreading out over my skin like a vice. He gradually reeled me in; taking his time to gauge my body's every subtle reaction.

"Well for starters darling," he quietly said in my ear. "If he goes anywhere near your mouth, I'll compel him to chew out his own tongue."

His hold around me tightened and in a whoosh of air, he had my back pinned against the wall. I struggled for a brief second but he trapped my legs between his thighs before pressing his hips firmly against mine, holding my lower body in place.

My head lolled back as I pushed hard against the solid surface behind me, attempting to free myself from the mounting electrifying friction between us but he braced his palms flat on either side of my head and leaned in.

"Or _maybe_ ," he contemplated with a low growl and I drew in a sharp inhale as our upper bodies touched. "I'll cut to the chase and rip off his bloody head."

I couldn't hold it in any longer. My breath rushed past my lips but the sound which left had nothing to do with fear or revolution. After all this time, I no longer saw his words as a threat. Not to me. _Never_ to me.

My own light laughter rang through my ears. "Yeah, maybe last year I would have found that disgusting but you're not real so I'm not concerned in the slight-" I abruptly broke off, my mine alert when I noticed it.

My body tensed with apprehension and picking up on my sudden stillness, Ares rotated his torso. Searching for the cause of my distress.

It didn't take him long to find it. The gas lamps which were littered around the compound's stone walls were gradually extinguishing, leaving behind faint tendrils of fading grey smoke.

Ares' hands fell to my wrists and he slowly retreated back into the centre of the compound, gently pulling me along with him. Knowing what was coming next, the two of us looked up.

The stars had faded from a night sky which was steadily brightening; the empty black merging into a warm bright blue.

"You're waking," Ares uttered and my head shot towards him. A slither of concern drifted over my face at the strange despondent lilt to his tone. "Looks like our time is up."

"For now," I softly agreed. I lifted my hand to his face, my palm resting gently on his cheek. "But I'll be back," I whispered with a smile. "I always am."

As the brightness descended down, encompassing our forms, Ares covered his hand in mine, bringing it to his lips. He brushed my knuckles with the ghost of a kiss.

My breath stopped.

"Well in that case, I can wait," he murmured as my body began to fade.

The departing echo of his voice was the only thing I clung to as I was rushed into a bright blur of hurtling colour.

* * *

The sudden onslaught of bright white burned my vision behind closed eyelids, blinding my senses and jerking me awake in under a second. My body lurched up, eyes squeezed tightly shut as I scrambled blindly for the covers which had been ripped from my grasp.

"Are you _serious_?" I snarled, blinking sluggishly at the open curtains as the blurry form of my sister slowly came into focus. She stood at the foot of my bed, hands firmly on her hips. Chocolate eyes glaring.

"Up Kiah, _now_ ," she commanded and growling, my hand shot out but she took one step back, keeping the covers away from my desperate grasp. My teeth gritted together as I pulled back, defeated.

"I swear, I will kill you in your sleep," I muttered darkly but Elena just rolled her eyes and spun on her heel, flouncing away without a second glance.

Once she was out of sight, I flipped back against the bed and ran a hand agitatedly through my hair as I recalled the images which played themselves on repeat in my most recent memory.

I didn't know what it was that was causing this strange confliction. Ares had always been a man of seduction. That had always been no secret. He was an egomaniac. My confidant. My comforter and above all, my friend.

But tonight he had stepped it up a notch. And so had I. To prove a point. And we had both succeeded. In so many ways.

Before I even knew what I was doing, my fingers were running softly over my lips. I could still feel the faint tingle of electricity on my skin, the memory of his mouth on mine.

My heart stammered and I exhaled a long breath.

"I'm _so fucked_ ," I whispered to myself before slowly getting to my feet and plodding out of my room, making my way across the hall.

The ajar door to my left caught my attention and a wide smirk crossed my face as I situated myself against the frame. Then leaning back with my arms crossed, I patiently waited.

Elena stalked around to the right of Jeremy's prone and sleeping form. She ripped back the curtains. The brightness seeped through like a dagger of light slicing through the dark room.

It hit Jeremy's face and his hands instantly shot to cover his squinting eyes. "Aaahh! _Early_. _Bad!_ "

His head instantly disappeared beneath the bedspread and Elena released a low growl of irritation before striding forwards.

"It's _not_ early." She extended an arm, latched onto the covers and flung them off the bed where they landed in a heap on the floor.

Jeremy screwed up his face, his body curled up into a foetal position and Elena rolled her eyes.

"You're late, for work," she announced. "Matt just called." Then she rounded on me and my hands shot up in mock surrender. "You too. Work _now_ ," she demanded and I pressed my lips together, looking away from her disapproving glare.

Instead, I turned to Jeremy. The two of us shared our exasperation before we simultaneously glanced up at the clock. Five minutes past the hour. Five minutes late.

"Well maybe he'll fire us," my twin muttered. He wearily pushed himself into a sitting position and Elena nodded once in approval before striding past me. "Both of you aim high," she cheerfully shouted back.

I slowly twisted my body around to watch her retreat and through narrowed eyes I mused, "Do you honestly think she believes the shit she's saying?"

"Not in the slightest," Jeremy uttered back and my blank gaze never moved away as I listened to the sounds of her high chatter drifting up from the kitchen.

"The abandonment of Boy Wonder really did a number on her didn't he?" I whispered incredulously to myself. "She really believes that he'll actually come back to her and now she's trying to spread her nauseating optimism onto us."

"Well she should know better by now," Jeremy drawled. "We're the _life of the party_ these days…" He trailed off before giving his appearance a nervous scan. Less than a second later he jolted to his feet before sending me a pointed glance and I sighed before swinging his door shut.

As the few minutes passed, I grew more and more impatient, tapping my foot agitatedly to an imaginary clock tick. One more minute and an eye twitch later, the door opened and Jeremy stumbled out, fully changed, his top rumpled and dark hair askew.

He then scanned me over, taking note of my current state of dress. "Aren't you coming?" he questioned, hastily pulling on his coat and I just yawned.

"I'll catch up with you…" My eyes drifted back to peer up at the clock, mentally forming the calculations. "In two minutes and fifteen seconds." He sent me a blank look of confusion and I clarified, "I'm adding on an extra five seconds after the start of every shift." My shoulders rose up and fell with the shrug. "I'm taking internal bets on how late I have to be for them to finally end this soul draining, drink serving relationship with me."

"You just don't have the patience when it comes to other people," Jeremy pointed out disapprovingly but his lips subtly twitched and I grinned. "We should both take a leaf out of Matt's book," he mused. "That guy's a busboy saint if I ever saw one."

"And I'm glad that he's found his true calling by satisfying the people of the Grill instead of Caroline and Elena, I truly am," I responded and the corners of my brother's lips curved further. "But I'll be honest with you Jer," I announced. "When they finally fire me, I will throw a fucking party."

"Aim high." His voice rose to mimic Elena's dulcet tones and the corners of my lips twitched once before I instantly retorted.

"Get high."

With one snort of laughter he flipped me off before turning around and descending the stairs. When the soft slam of the front door sounded in my ears I retreated back to my room and pulled on the first few items of clothing I could find before throwing my hair up into a messy bun.

I was going casual today. If I truly wanted to lose this job sooner rather than later then there was nothing better than sending signals to your boss that you just didn't give a shit... and appearance worked fucking wonders.

I descended the stairs two at a time but when reached the front door, I paused at the voices wandering through from the kitchen. I chewed on my lip before coming to a decision. My movements were silent as I crept forwards, listening in to the conversation.

"Are you sure you're still okay on the couch?" Elena was saying, the concern in her voice profoundly evident but Alaric's quick retort made me pause.

"Yeah, Yeah, I'm good."

"Because you spent half the summer on it." There was a small silence. "If you need your own bedroom?" Elena hesitantly pressed.

"Eh, sleeping in your dead parent's room or my dead...girlfriend's room… Nah."

"Alright Got it."

Another hush descended the room which was only broken by the faint sound of clattering mugs being set onto the table top.

"Hey Elena," Alaric finally said. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks," came the soft reply.

I chose that moment to make my appearance known. I stepped into the kitchen. At the sound of my footsteps, Alaric and Elena both whirled around to face me before looking back to each other. Worried at the mere thought of me overhearing.

They said no words to me and I kept my focus off them, all the while, mentally exhaling a low sigh. It was like a balloon had been popped with my presence but I kept on the false smile before deliberately shifting from one foot to the other, enjoying their awkward stances.

"Don't mind me," I finally proclaimed and Elena shook her head, snapping back into action.

"Kiah!" she cleared her throat quickly before mouth turned into a frown as she berated, "I thought you'd already left."

"As invigorating as your irritated concern is for me Elena, I'm just passing through for a pit stop snack," I tonelessly drawled. "I'm on my way to work now with some _exhilarating_ excuse which I'm sure will eventually come to mind."

My irises glinted as I ticked off the ideas with my fingers. "Dog ate my homework, imaginary boyfriend troubles, sister having a crisis on which Salvatore filling is currently the tastiest." Her body stilled and I grinned. "One at least will work I'm sure."

I passed by her side and my hand abruptly shot out. In her blank state of shock she was too late to respond. I swiped the apple out from under her loose grasp and quickly snagged a bite before she could snatch it back.

"So," I stated between chews. "Another year older," Elena rocked back on her heels as I scanned her over. "Well done for making it, sister."

"Yeah," Elena managed a gritted whisper. " _Thanks_."

I nodded then spun around on my heel. With a brief nod to Alaric I stated, "Until tonight, teach," before slipping out the door.

* * *

After the echo of the slam subsided, Elena waited for a few moments longer. As the seconds continued to drag by, she couldn't hold it back. Her troubled cascade of thoughts immediately began to spew.

"I swear she is _deliberately_ going _out of her way_ to make my life _hell_ ," she burst out.

When she rounded on him, Alaric patiently waited but his forehead lined with concern.

"What was she like in school last term?" she demanded. "With both the Curse and Stefan drama on my mind, I haven't really had the chance to fully talk to her. I… I just completely _flaked_."

Alaric paused to think it over. "There's really not much to say," he finally admitted. "She keeps her head down. Her grades are stellar." He looked to her and gently reassured her worries. "It's not like when you had to deal with Jeremy's phases. Kiah's doing okay, Elena," he stated firmly. "She isn't spiralling."

"I know I just…" Elena trailed off before reluctantly confessing, "I never saw her grieve Jenna or John."

Although she knew in the back of her mind that her younger sister had hated John with a passion, she had expected at least some sort of reaction when it came to _Jenna_...

"I just keep expecting her to do something, _say_ something," Elena admitted.

"She probably did, she probably found somewhere safe and secure to break down but like you said, our attentions have been more than elsewhere." Alaric let her take that all in before stating the obvious elephant in the room which had been on his mind ever since he started working as a teacher at the school.

"I know it's not my place, Elena," he began. "but she needs to _know_."

Elena inhaled a sharp breath before her shoulders finally loosened. "I know," she exhaled. "Damon, Stefan and I have talked about it so many times. We were gonna tell her after Jenna but then we had that whole thing with Jeremy getting shot… then Damon got bitten... and after Stefan left with Klaus…" She shook her head sadly. "I don't know, I just decided it's safer for her like this."

Alaric sighed and stepped forwards. "You can't compel her forever," he gently reminded her. "Every time she unknowingly comes face to face with the supernatural world, she's in danger."

"I know that Ric but you also know what Kiah is like," Elena retorted. She started to pace as she listed off her younger sister's more impulsive traits. "She's irrational, irresponsible… she's _reckless_. She wouldn't survive five minutes if we told her and even if we _did_ tell her, if we told her _everything_ … if she found out that _Klaus_ was the one who killed Jenna instead of some drunk driver... she'll be rampaging up to his front door."

She let out a hysterical laugh, her stomach winding itself up into sickening and tightening knots at the mere thought. "Klaus would kill her just to get back at me."

"He would do that either way if he ever found out you were alive," Alaric gently interjected and Elena stilled. A cold sweat coated her skin.

"I know," she released a breath. "But it's just… not a good time right now."

"And it's never going to be," Alaric murmured.

Elena ran an agitated hand down her face.

"Is it so _wrong_ for me to want her to live a normal life?" she implored but before Alaric could answer, her phone buzzed.

She quickly pulled it from her pocket, grateful for the interruption.

"It's Caroline," she announced. "I need to take this." She made a move to the door but her steps faltered. "We'll talk about this later okay," she whispered.

Alaric didn't respond.

* * *

"This is your _final warning_ , Gilbert."

I sent the manager my most charismatic smile which immediately faded as soon as he turned away. I stalked towards an empty table, swiped up the two empty glasses before careening around the bar and slamming them down into the dishwasher.

" _So close_ ," I moaned before swiping up a dishcloth and returning back to the table, proceeding to rid the surface of muck and grime.

As I gritted my teeth, reaching a particularly nasty spot, someone cleared their throat in front of me. My eye twitched. My monotonous scrubbing task stopped. Tightening my grip over the dishcloth, my head snapped up.

" _What_?" I demanded, glaring at the source of my interruption and Matt Donovan shifted from one foot to the other, his dark gaze cast down to the wooden floor as he muttered, "Caroline and Tyler are here."

"Ahh, the ex and the best friend." I straightened up and released a low whistle, all previous irritation replaced with a wry smile. "I can see how _that_ would be awkward."

"Switch sections with me?" Matt begged and I arched my brow, before glancing up to the clock, checking the status of my shift. Five minutes left of this hell. He took a desperate step forwards, " _Please_ Kiah, I was _never_ here."

Sighing, I finally looked up and faltered. His cheeks were flushed red, his hands were trembling as they gripped the drinks tray hard. The guy was angry on the surface but all it took was one glimpse into those sad puppy dog eyes and I was toast.

I groaned. "Fine…" I extended a hand. "Gimme."

With a relieved smile, Matt quickly passed over the tray drinks which I balanced with one hand before chucking him the dishtowel which he deftly caught.

They seemed to sense my presence as I weaved through the tables, approaching the few customers in the far left section of the grill.

When both their heads shot up I plastered on a welcoming smile which Caroline briefly returned as she continued to press her phone to her ear, jabbering avidly to the caller on the other line.

Instead I turned to an expectant Tyler and dramatically announced, "And here's your order prepared by Mystic Grill's most finest and delivered to you through the _sheer curtesy_ of the sweet little busgirl standing before you. And let me tell you, she deserves one _hell_ of a tip for bringing this out since you couldn't be bothered to move your fucking legs to grab your drinks from the bar."

"Erm nah, in fact you should _actually_ be tipping _us_ , your service skills are _terrible_ ," Tyler retorted with a small grin and my eyes gleamed humorously in response. "Matt make you switch sections?" he guessed as he craned his neck to peer over to the storage door which his blue eyed friend had slipped into.

With a small shrug, I swiftly set down the drinks on their table as I responded, "I don't have a clue what you're talking about."

That was when my focus turned to Caroline who was gleefully trilling, "Wear something pretty," before she hung up the phone without waiting for a response.

Her expression immediately fell as she slammed the device hard onto the table before peering up at me.

"She's not serious is she?" she fretted, her voice sharp and demanding an answer but I just sent her blank look in return.

"You're talking to me as if I'm supposed to know what the _hell_ you're talking about."

" _Elena_ , your _sister_ ," Caroline emphasised slowly and I rolled my eyes. "She just told me that she wants to keep things small tonight and that negates my duties as Mystic Falls' greatest host." She grabbed her drink in-between her rant to take a swift sip before setting it back down and continuing incredulously, "I mean, who doesn't _love_ a party?"

"Nah, she's lying," I was quick to assure her, all the while hiding back a vindictive smile. "She _loves_ big parties, can't get enough of them. The bigger the better Caroline," I encouraged. "The _bigger_ the _better_."

Caroline beamed. "Good 'cause I've already found you a dress." The blonde immediately reached down beneath her chair and lifted up one her multiple shopping bags. She placed it on the table and I stared.

"Oh Caroline, you _shouldn't have,_ " I drawled tonelessly before pulling the material out of the bag. I held it up to my frame, perplexed, not bothering to hide away my disgust at the high neckline and fuchsia lace sleeves. It covered my body from the throat before elongating down to the frilly hem which enveloped my feet. "And what in _dear God's name_ is this?" I spluttered.

"This is me helping my best friend's younger sister out," Caroline idly replied. She reached for her drink but I quickly pulled it away. Huffing, she crossed her arms and leaned back, arching an eyebrow at my glare.

"This is a _high school party_ ," I stated. "Not some high society, get together meal." Nevertheless I stuffed the dress back into the bag and grasped the handles before turning away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Caroline called out and I didn't falter in my steps as I retorted, "Back to being the recluse."

"You know one day you're going to have to socialise again."

"Oh I'm aware, Care," I muttered. "The people who I socialise with however remain to be seen."

As the clock hit the hour, signalling the end of my shift, I wasted no time in exiting the Grill and stepping out into the street.

"Now what am I going to do with _you_?" I uttered, pondering the shopping bag in my hand.

It came to me almost immediately and my head shot up. My steps began to hasten as I rounded the corner before coming to a swift halt in front of a large glass window. I peered inside briefly before looking to the door.

An elegant sign hung above the handle and I swiftly scanned the script etched into the wood.

 _Mystic Fashion and Alterations._

My lips slowly curved. "Bingo."

* * *

The party was already in full swing by the time I stepped through the grand doors of the Salvatore boarding house in the late hours of the evening. Music blasted through loudspeakers and red cups rolled over the floor as people cheered at the stunts by the keg stand. Friends and couples danced around to the beat, bringing the packed atmosphere to vibrant life.

I smiled just a little as I took it all in before my features widened to a full on beam as a distressed Caroline barrelled into view.

"What _the hell_ did you do to my dress?" she exclaimed and I brazenly glanced down. The smooth frill-less hem barely reached mid-thigh and the lacy sleeves had been shortened into thin straps which gave way to a deep v neck.

"Erm, you bought it for me, ergo it's _my_ dress so ergo, I had it all shortened. Gotta say that seamstress is a _genius_ , I honestly thought this was a lost cause." I twirled on the spot before placing a hand on my hip, cocking it to one side. "You _like_?" I questioned and Caroline gaped.

"No," she spluttered. "No I don't _like. Are you ser-"_

My hand instantly shot up to cut her off. "Ah hold your catchphrase, the alcohol is calling and that lovely bottle over there has my name on it."

Then ignoring her splutters, I started off into the crowd, looking around for some kind of familiar face. It didn't take me long to run into one. I quickly came to regret my decision.

Damon Salvatore had barged himself in front of two giggling girls and was studying them with blatant disdain. "You don't want that. You want the _cheap young stuff_ over by the _cheap young people_."

He removed the bottle from her limp hands then as if sensing my presence, he rotated around and jabbed a finger forwards.

"And _you_ ," he intoned and I placed a hand dramatically to my chest. "Don't get any ideas."

"You say that as if you _expect me_ to be _bad_ ," I said incredulously. "Gotta say friend zone, that really hit me, right _here_." I gasped. "I'm _so_ _hurt_."

I swiped the bottle from his hands and danced back into the crowd. I was barely able to hear his call to me over the thud of the base. "And where are you off to Baby Gilbert?"

"Away from you," I shouted back. " _Shocking,_ I know."

And with that I let myself be engulfed by the crowd of dancing teenagers and weaved in between the bodies, swaying idly to the electric thrum of the music. After I accepted a third plastic cup from the punch table, I glanced off to one side and paused.

Elena and Caroline stood together away from the majority of the party goers, the two of them huddled close in the far corner as they whispered. I quickly downed my drink before approaching.

When I was close enough to hear their urgent tones, my steps came to a halt and I rested idly back against the wall, listening in. The two friends were too busy to notice.

"This is keeping it _small_?" Elena was chastising Caroline as her stiff gaze swept over the crowd. They zeroed in on one particular individual. "Wait," she whispered and her jaw dropped. "Is that my _brother_?"

I smirked at her aghast expression before vaguely following her line of focus towards whatever had grabbed her attention.

Matt and Jeremy were reclining back on matching leather armchairs with large grins on their faces. My twin rolled up a joint and passed it to Matt who accepted it gratefully.

Refusing to wait on the side-lines for any longer, I swiftly strode past my sister and approached my brother's side.

Both boys glanced up at my presence but I just perched myself onto the chair arm beside my brother and muttered, "Don't look now but the Parental Patrol are watching."

To my immediate left, Matt groaned and slowly withdrew the cigarette from his mouth.

"Who cares, just let her come," Jeremy just muttered as he rolled up another joint. Then grabbing the lighter from Matt, he burned one end before placing the other between his lips. "What do you want, Kiah?" he questioned on his exhale and my eyes stung as the smoke invaded my nostrils.

"Well I'm not here to judge your descent towards our sister's disapproving lectures for one thing, just making a small pit stop." I nodded to the bottle of alcohol on the end table in front of him. "Is that the strong stuff?"

"Of course," my twin responded.

"Then hit me."

He smirked but nonetheless passed it over. I took it from him and out of the corner of my eye, I flashed a glance towards Elena who spun around on her heel and stalked off into the crowd. I could still feel Caroline's gaze burning holes into the back of our necks as I focused back on my brother and downed a swig, triumphant.

"It's a pleasure talking to you brother, as always," I declared as I leapt to my feet, bottle in hand but I didn't get far. Five more steps and my route was suddenly blocked.

I sighed before craning my head up to meet glittering ice blue eyes.

"Should you _really_ be drinking that?"

"Should you _really_ be hanging around minors?" I automatically retorted. "Don't even pretend to _care_." At his silent reply of shocked façade, I scoffed. " _Please_ , the only reason you're even talking to me right now is to earn brownie points with my sister." I passed him back the half empty bottle which he reluctantly took. "And _trust me_ ," I stated. "You haven't even earned yourself enough to buy yourself a Girl Scout _cookie_."

I then stepped forwards into the living room, slowly approaching the majority of party guests. While I mildly twirled a loose maple curl around my forefinger, I steadily examined the throngs of dancing bodies.

"Actually I take that back," I mused, causing Damon to tilt his head towards me. "You wanna earn my approval…. you're a sleaze, so tell me… which one of these guys looks easy to you?"

"You sure wanna piss your sister off don't you?" But his brief focus to the right had already given him away. He had already found me my target.

"You know what? I see what you mean," I praised as my darkening orbs raked critically over his form. "Blonde surf-boy hair, tanned skin, blue eyes, _killer_ jaw..."

I trailed off as my thoughts took hold; _a wandering gaze which lusted after every passing curve, athletic body… plenty of stamina … perfect distraction._

"Enough said," I approved. "Thanks. I'll tell my sister you're a _gem_."

With one small pat on his frozen shoulder, I darted off before he could sum up a reply.

* * *

 **I'm as shocked as you are that this chapter is finally out :D**

 **I finally got round to updating and I am stunned by the response to this story! Thank you so much for all the reviews, follows and fav's - you're all so amazing :D**

 **I don't think I will be following all the episodes of season three, so we'll hopefully get to Kol soon enough!**

 **Next part is finished and will be updated soon - let me know what you thought!**

 _Reviews:_

 _Addie552:_ _Yay! I'm so glad you liked it, hope you liked the chapter, next one hopefully out this week.  
_ _BloodRedWriter:_ _Thank you! Hope you liked the long overdue update.  
_ _Serelena:_ _I'm so glad you liked it! Hope you liked the update.  
_ _Guest:_ _I finally got round to continuing it, hope you like the journey :D  
_ _Dark-Supernatural-Angel:_ _Haha, yeah in my initial write up of the first chapter I wanted her to have some sort of connection to Matt but Kiah as Jer's twin works well with what I have planned for her. You finally got Elena's reasoning for keeping her in the dark as well, let's hope there are no consequences to it... hope you enjoyed the update, I have so much planned... ;)  
_ _Adhara Snow:_ _So cold and not much usually comes from protecting them... the truth always comes out in the end... ;)  
_ _Midnight Alley:_ _Thank you! Hope you enjoy what I have planned for Kiah's story :D  
_ _InfinityMars:_ _Thank you! Writing a Kol story was long overdue for me since I have stories with the other brothers. I decided he needed the spotlight too :D I hope you like what I have planned :)  
_ _Lowkeyofassguard:_ _It's finally here, took a long time but next update is out this week!  
_ _Dezzi95:_ _I definitely intend to merge some episodes so we get closer to Kol, least he's appearing in her dreams for now. There's just some stuff with Kiah that needs to be out in the open first - you start to see some of those occurrences begin next chapter! Let's hope that Kiah isn't kept in the dark for long but thanks to Elena, it seems she will be for a while yet...  
_ _Shadowing:_ _Thank you! Hope you liked the overdue update!  
_ _Isabelnecessaryonabicycle:_ _Thank you so much! It means everything and it's finally here, took a long time but the next chapter will be out by next week at the latest!  
_ _LPWormer:_ _It isn't a one-shot! I'm just so bad at multitasking with five stories on the go! Hope you liked it!  
_ _Frenchie:_ _I wrote more! Took a while but it's finally here! Hope you enjoyed :D  
_ _KateKat1992:_ _Thank you! Hope you like what I have planned :D_


	3. The Birthday - Part Two

"Wait Kiah don't you _dare_ …" Damon Salvatore released a low growl, finding the younger Gilbert nowhere in sight. "No _no no_ _no."_

He continued to curse through gritted teeth as he pushed his way through the crowds, snatching up an empty glass along the way. He strode out onto the porch and catching sight of a familiar face, he hoisted himself up onto the brick wall.

Alaric nodded in acknowledgement which Damon instantly returned while he filled up his glass.

"I am every parent's worst nightmare," Alaric decided as he dully set his empty drink down to one side and Damon tipped the bottle, dutifully refilling it. "I am the chaperone teacher from hell," he continued to drone.

"Well I just sent the littlest Gilbert off into Quarterback Corner," Damon darkly responded. He took a long sip of his drink and groaned. "Don't you just _love_ high school parties?"

"Isn't Andie supposed to be coming?" Alaric wondered and Damon shrugged.

"Ten o'clock broadcast." He looked around, seeing the perky little news reporter nowhere in sight. "Should be here in a little bit," he murmured to himself but his search for Andie was quickly interrupted when Elena strode towards them.

His breath caught. Her beauty never ceased to astound him and yet, out of respect for his baby brother's noble sacrifice, the raven haired vampire would never let his captivation show. "Hello _Birthday Girl,_ " he announced but her hard doe eyes just regarded him, unimpressed.

"Drink!" she commanded but before he could offer a response, she reached out and plucked the glass from his grip. Damon's arm remained outstretched and frozen in place, his hand grasping at nothing but air.

Elena turned swiftly on her heel to face Alaric. "Jeremy's smoking again," she stated and his mouth instantly upturned into a frown, deep lines forming across his forehead.

Elena sighed before taking another, controlled sip.

"Is his stash any good?"

She swallowed and let the liquid burn down her throat before she reluctantly spun around to face him. Damon held up his hands, a gesture of innocent surrender if not for the faintest strains of amusement playing around the corners of his mouth.

"You're an _ass_ ," she spat out but there was no blatant venom in her tone. After he had gifted her with the only remaining reminder she had left of Stefan, the pendant necklace which she had thought to be long lost, she couldn't find it in herself to stay mad at him.

Recently her retorts seemed almost instinctive, to conceal the way her heart traitorously blipped at the sly and sensual curve of his lips.

She rapidly shook those thoughts away, knowing that now was _so_ not the best time to go there. Not when Stefan's absence still flared strong within her heart. It was better to play ignorance, to lie about what she was slowly starting to feel and so she ignored his presence completely.

"Talk to him, _please_ ," she begged, zeroing her full focus on Alaric and at his wide eyed incredulity she implored, "He looks up to you."

Then without another word, she thrust the drink back into Damon's hands, allowing the liquid to slosh out the glass and splatter onto his skin.

The raven haired vampire and the hunter silently watched her retreat back up to the boarding house.

Damon waited until she was completely out of earshot before muttering, "You're _screwed_."

He took a smug sip of his drink as Alaric groaned. He was about to get to his feet before they heard Elena's beseeching voice call out to them once more.

"And can somebody _please_ sort my sister out," she yelled.

The two men fell silent.

Alaric swiped up his drink with a humoured twitch to his lips before pushing himself off the wall. He stepped through the door, re-entering the boarding house and cautiously scanned the room.

His gaze fell on a figure gyrating on top of the antique dining table, the maple brown hair and short fuchsia dress unmistakable.

"You're _screwed_ ," he commented and Damon sighed.

" _Yep_."

* * *

 _This had to be the best worst decision I had ever made,_ I mused as I twirled on the balls of my feet, my arms flung high in the air as I danced and slipped over the varnished wood to the pounding music in my ears. I shoved my hands through my hair and flipped it over my shoulders before sinking low on my knees to swipe up a discarded bottle. Then stumbling back to my feet, I brought it to my open mouth and downed three, long chugs.

My eyes watered as the liquid sizzled a hot and fiery path down my throat. It took a few moments to recover from the uncontrollable splutters and all the while, I scrutinised the liquor in front of me with confusion. "How is there so much liquid in one tiny bottle?" I spluttered loudly, sloshing the contents around for extra emphasis.

"You call _that_ _tiny_?" A sudden unfamiliar voice called up to me and I briefly looked away, hiding back a small surge of triumph.

 _Took him long enough._

I turned around to face him.

His teal eyes roamed deliberately over my body, his agape expression hypnotised by the sway of my hips, of every sensual movement which I had used to entice him in. When he met my hooded gaze, a glimmer of approval flashed across his face.

"Are you having fun or looking for attention?" He extended his arms and I arched a brow.

"Does it really _matter_?" I questioned, discarding the bottle as I made my way over to the edge of the table and his smile remained as he avidly pulled me down. I stumbled into him, hooking my arms around his neck for balance before leaning in towards his ear. "No strings… no attachments," I whispered. His cheek lightly brushed mine, his breath rapidly increasing to pants as I impatiently prompted, "What do you say?"

He had to clear his throat before answering. "You using _me_ as a _rebound_?" he questioned incredulously.

"Something like that," I replied quietly, my expression turning vacant for the briefest of seconds before I firmly shrugged it away. "That and I enjoy pissing off my family."

"Well then, I'm totally game, babe." He curved his hands over my hips, gripping them, pulling me closer. His arms snaked around my waist before his palms spread across my lower back. My hands slid down to flatten against his chest.

In that passing moment, I pushed myself to feel something, _anything_ but there was no heart-pumping enthrallment humming through my veins, no flicker of desire encapsulating my heart. The only heat emanating from my flushed cheeks was purely the rush of alcohol entering my bloodstream

It felt different, his whole body, his hold. It wasn't affectionate, it wasn't protective… it wasn't _safe_... and I detested it. It took all my strength to push back the drowning disappointment to the furthest corner of my mind that I almost missed his following words.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "Who are you again?"

"Nobody," I breathed and he furrowed a brow. "Nobody at all," I repeated then trembling slightly, I shut my eyes, parting my lips.

He wasted no time. His head came down.

"Seriously, Kiah?"

A hand curved over my upper arm and jerked hard. I staggered backwards, my legs giving way. I quickly threw out an arm and grasped the edge of the table to steady myself before reaching back to retrieve the bottle I had recently set aside.

With my breathing shaky and my cheeks glowing bright, I reluctantly turned to dizzily consider Caroline's disapproving glare. " _What?_ " I slurred as she crossed her arms. "He's _so_ _hot_."

Blue eyes instantly puffed up his chest. "You got that right," he proudly proclaimed and I sent him a quick wink.

"Oh, I _know_ I do."

"Oh _please_ ," Caroline scoffed. "The only hot thing about him is the sweat dripping down his face."

I ignored the jab in favour of pushing myself away from the wall. I staggered back and twirled around, intending to finish what I had started but a leather clad arm flew out in front of me. Halting me still in my tracks.

"Ah ah, no shoving your tongue down _D_ _iscount Donovan_ ," Damon chastised. "You don't know where he's been."

"Less places than you I'm _sure_ ," I retorted snidely before turning around, feeling the growing pressure against my hand. "I _swear to God,_ _Caroline_ ," I threatened but the perky blonde just yanked the bottle from my grasp and set it firmly down on the mantelpiece behind her.

Then ignoring my protests, she snatched my teal eyed rebound by the arm and forced him around to face her. " _Hey_ ," she snapped and his simper faded. "Nobody wants some _desperate and lonely guy_ feeling up the birthday girl's sister. And let's face it, that shirt does _so_ not go with those jeans." She jerked her head to the front door. "So _beat it_."

I watched him walk away with a small and defeated pout. Never once did he turn around, never once did he cast a second glance back. What was so desirable about Caroline Forbes which inspired such a permanent loss of masculinity, so much so that the entire male population of Mystic Falls decided to heed to her every beck and call?

"Well then." Damon clapped his hands together. "My job here is done. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with a hot date of my own." At Caroline's subtle curiosity, he elaborated, "Andie wants picking up."

"Don't take too long, we're about to bring out the _cake_ ," Caroline called out to his retreating form and he waved up a hand in acknowledgement without turning back around.

Caroline waited until he had buggered off out the front door before seizing my arm and wrenching it hard. With no other choice, I reluctantly followed her through the drunken majority.

"What were you even _thinking?_ " Caroline was hissing and I fought back a wince as her nails dug faint crests into my flesh. "This is your _sister's eighteenth birthday_. It's her official _rite of_ _passage_ and I'm supposed to make it a _perfect_ _night_ for her but you and your brother have just been screwing up her _entire evening_ just to make her life miserab-"

Caroline abruptly stopped short and I hesitantly peered around her unmoving and immobile form. At the sight which lay straight in front of me, my amber eyes widened.

"Well, you can't say that _this_ isn't interesting," I declared before smugly adding, "Looks like I'm not the only one on your screw up list tonight."

Caroline just huffed out an inconceivable response. Her foot tapped agitatedly against the floorboards as she waited impatiently for the unlikely pairing to turn around.

When Tyler finally became aware of our presence, he flashed a charming grin in Caroline's direction which she refused to return. The intoxicated form of Aimee Bradley swayed a continuous rhythm from left to right, beaming a bright and toothy smile at his side.

" _Caroline_ ," Tyler exclaimed, holding out the arm which wasn't attached around Aimee's waist. "Kiah." He tilted his head to the side, amusement still sparking across his face as he lightly chastised, "What did you do?"

With a small laugh, I stumbled towards him. Caroline only just managed to hold me up before her attention suddenly found itself diverted.

I followed her line of sight to the source of her glare. Her sapphire eyes had narrowed to slits and sharpened into daggers. Daggers which had aimed themselves directly at Aimee's face… and the arm slung loosely around Tyler's neck.

The dark haired boy in question was watching Caroline with an assured grin whilst she flared up with resentment. The revelation hit me hard and I smirked. Tyler Lockwood was using Aimee as a pawn in his jealousy game and the poor naive girl seemed completely none the wiser.

"Great party, Caroline!" she chirped.

" _Thanks!_ " Caroline mimicked her cheer before her smile turned cold. With a subtle scan of our surroundings, her lips twisted up further as she took a slow step forwards. Aimee looked up and her face slowly drained of colour. A strange chill trickled down my spine as Caroline's tone lowered to an icy hiss. " _Now leave it!_ "

She straightened up and retreated back. Aimee nodded jerkily before tossing her hair over one shoulder. She whipped around on her heel and sashayed off into the crowd.

Tyler watched her leave with wide eyes before whirling around to face us. "What the _hell_?!" he demanded and Caroline smugly grinned.

"Don't worry," I piped up while attempting to fruitlessly twist my wrist out of the blonde's unrelenting iron grasp. "She's ruining everybody's night tonight."

"Okay I've just about _had it_ with you, Kiah," Caroline abruptly exclaimed and with a sharp twist on my arm, she turned me to face her. In the midst of my weak and drunken struggles, I suddenly found myself staring into darkening blue eyes.

Her pupils began to contract and expand. My mind turned blank.

" _Go find Matt and your brother and go home_."

I shook my head and stumbled back, my lips parting as I panted out heavy breaths. "Are you actually _serious_ right now?" I spluttered, "'Cause if you are then _screw you_ Caroline and you know what? You can tell my _sister_ to do the same." I deliberately turned my back ono her. "I'm not some fucking _kid_ anymore, you can't boss me around."

Caroline just stared at me; her jaw had dropped, her eyes wide with blatant shock. Beside her, Tyler's gaze flickered back and forth between us in stunned silence.

"What the _hell_ ," I vaguely heard her mutter to herself but before I could make a move to leave, her hand shot out, closing tight around my nape.

She forced me around to meet her pitch black pupils once more.

"I said _the party's over. Go find Matt, go find Jeremy and go home_."

She carefully released me, scrutinising my every action as she waited tensely for a response. I swayed, blinking drowsily, my mind swimming in a sea of numb, silent thought.

"I'll go home," I whispered.

* * *

I left the party in a daze, stumbling out of the front door. The Salvatore grounds and surrounding forestry were packed with parked cars but I didn't pay them any focus. I couldn't think, I couldn't control my own actions as my feet dragged my body down the cobbled pathway, veering off to the left.

When a tall dark figure staggered into view, the pressure inside my mind vanished and I shook my head, instantly forgetting the strange sensation. A large smile lit up my face as a pair of car headlights illuminated the man's tall form.

" _Matty!_ " I crowed out happily and he spun round, a wide grin on his face as he spread his arms wide.

" _Kiah!_ "

I made an unsteady beeline towards him. "Take me home _please_ ," I begged and he looked around before sending me a look of innocently lost confusion.

"I don't think I can…" he shrugged hopelessly. "I've lost my truck."

I chewed on my lip and scanned the cars one by one before snatching a hold of his hand and dashing us off to the left. We came to a stop by a large Chevrolet parked neatly on the side of the road and I released Matt to gesture in the vehicle's direction. "That it?"

Matt narrowed his gaze, scrutinising the registration plate for a few moments, then adamantly shaking his head, he walked away.

I lingered back. " _Huh_ ," I frowned, turning to face the truck once more and tilting my head to the side. "I could have sworn his car was blue…"

When Matt's voice shouted out from somewhere in the increasing distance, I shook my head and broke into a rapid stride, catching up to him in seconds. The two of us aimlessly wandered the Salvatore grounds until another familiar voice called out through the air.

"What the _hell_ are you two doing?"

The two of us spun around and I beamed as I recognised the familiar figure of my twin striding towards us. I started forwards and within seconds I had leapt into his frame, hooking my arms tight around his neck.

Jeremy chuckled and lightly encircled one arm around my waist. From behind me, I vaguely heard Matt answer his question.

"I can't find my truck."

"He can't find his _truck_ ," I chorused into my brother's ear and Jeremy shook his head.

"That's probably a sign he shouldn't be driving it." He carefully released me, making sure that my feet were fully balanced on the ground before facing Matt. "You need a ride?" he offered and Matt airily walked forwards.

"You're more stoned than I am," he pointed out and Jeremy grinned before retaliating, "Well, we're not as bad as _her_."

"Hey, you _do know_ that I can _hear_ you two _talking_ ," I announced as I plonked myself into a sitting position on the ground. "I'm _drunk_ , not _deaf_ ," I muttered. " _Dicks_."

A wave of dizziness attacked my head and I braced my hands on the grass behind me before inclining back, tilting my head up towards the sky.

"The stars are so _pretty_ ," I breathed out in awe and Jeremy moved closer, his mouth twitching.

"Come on." He knelt down by my side and gently took my hand. "Let's get you home."

I allowed him to pull one of my arms over his shoulder and within moments I was hoisted up off the ground. My feet stumbled around in a weak attempt to keep myself from falling and my twin began to walk, supporting my weight at his side.

Sighing, I lolled my head tiredly against his shoulder and quietly mumbled, "Ares is gonna _kill me._ "

Jeremy's brow furrowed in concern but he didn't think to question me further as our ride suddenly came into view. With his free hand, he fumbled inside his jeans pocket and withdrew a set of keys. With a single press of a button, the headlights flashed white.

I vaguely heard the sound of the car door opening as Jeremy carefully manoeuvred me into the backseat. Not bothering to fasten the belt around me, I curled up into the cold leather and shut my eyes tightly closed.

My head refused to stop spinning and I groaned; the sound of the driver's door opening and slamming shut thudding continuously through my ears.

For a moment, all was silence

Then without warning, a loud gasp broke through the aching stabs inside my head and my body unexpectedly lurched at Jeremy's sudden gasp.

"What the... _Vicki?!"_

My eyes immediately snapped open. With as much focus as I could muster, I forced my perplexed attention towards the back of my brother's head. His body seemed stiff, frozen in place. His hands were clenched tight on the wheel, the force within his muscles so strong that his knuckles were rapidly turning white from the pressure.

The front door to the passenger side suddenly opened wide.

"Hey." Matt scrambled clumsily into the passenger seat before twisting his body to peer over at Jeremy whose mouth was still agape with confused shock. "What'd you just say?" he queried and Jeremy exhaled an even breath before quietly responding, "Nothing."

"Did you just say _Vicki_?" Matt challenged and out of the corner of my eye, I saw his body shudder. "As in _my_ _sister,_ Vicki?

"What? _No!_ " Jeremy defended himself with a short laugh of disbelief and shook his head to back up his denial. "No. I, uh… I didn't say anything."

I bit my lip before reluctantly accepting my twin's attempt at evasion, too tired to come up with a substantial argument. I leaned back against my seat and pressed my forehead against the car window, letting the icy condensation cool my warm skin. I let out a loud yawn and slowly began to drift.

A faint hum began to sound as the vehicle burst to life. Through the steady sounding vibrations, Jeremy's fearful tone was barely heard. " _No_..."

"What's wrong?"

The rumbling of the engine abruptly stopped and everything was silent. When the inside lights slowly faded to encompass us all in darkness, I opened my eyes, blinking sluggishly.

"We home already?" I yawned and squinted to my twin who had rapidly yanked the key from the ignition.

"You know what," he stammered. "Maybe we should just walk." He clambered out of the car and pulled open my side door. "You think you can do that for a couple of minutes?" he asked me softly and I shook my head adamantly, snuggling further into my seat.

"Nope, I don't wanna move – _hey!_ " I complained loudly as his fingers locked tight around my arms. He swiftly hefted me out the car.

Matt smiled faintly, watching as Jeremy struggled to manoeuvre my defiantly limp form into a position which would support my weight. When I swayed dangerously, he finally pulled my arm over his shoulders and began to drag me along. His lips remained pressed tight together, dark eyes staring straight ahead.

And then I heard Matt's almost silent whisper. "What _happened_ in the car, man?"

Jeremy flinched but his expression never changed. He refused to meet the blue eyed gaze which was narrowed in on his face. "Nothing," he muttered. His strides quickened and I struggled to keep up with the pace.

"Come on, man," Matt called out from behind us. "You said, _Vicki_. All right, you said my _sister's_ _name._ " He burst into a sprint and five seconds later he had overtaken and blocked the centre of our path. Jeremy groaned before he slowly brought us to a stop and I peered up at him in confusion. " _Why?_ " Matt demanded.

My twin scanned our surroundings, checking that we were all alone before he hesitantly admitted, "I've been seeing her."

I frowned at the small pang of grief which stung my chest at the mere thought of his suffering. At whatever internal struggle my brother was going through. Chewing the inside of my cheek, I squinted in Matt's direction to subtly glimpse his reaction but his features showed no pain, no anger or loss. Just raw empathy.

"You know what, I get it. I mean, I think I see her all the time, too," he confessed, his attention drifting to the ground. "It's 'cause I miss her so much, though." He shook his head in his inward struggle to make us understand. "You know, like, I want to see her so I do."

"Wish fulfilment," I uttered quietly.

The two of them whirled round to face me. "Come again?" Jeremy questioned.

"Just something we really want," I continued to mumble. "If we believe in it enough, want something _badly_ _enough_ , we start to believe that we can actually make it real." I snuggled my head against my brother's shoulder letting out a wide yawn, before tiredly finishing, "Like in _dreams_."

Jeremy and Matt exchanged an uncertain glance.

"Let's just get you home," Jeremy murmured.

* * *

It was past midnight when Jeremy and I finally stumbled through the front door and after being forced to down several glasses of water, I finally found myself back in my room.

I sluggishly changed out of the dress before lowering myself onto my bed. My hands lay clenched tight in my lap while my thoughts remained askew. I had acted so shamefully tonight but in my continuous and disoriented state, I couldn't find it in myself to feel anything more than the slightest ounce of regret. Tonight I had wanted to lose myself in the party and the music.

To just smile and _laugh_ and to simply have _fun_.

 _Wasn't that what my family would have wanted me to do?_ I silently deliberated. _To_ _find a way to stop grieving? To move on?_

My thoughts began to wander and I paused before letting out a low and heavy sigh. On second thought, maybe there actually _was_ one aspect of tonight which didn't live up to expectation.

Although Caroline had successfully put an end to whatever was about to transpire between me and my shoddy attempt at a rebound, I still found myself feeling a deep pang of remorse.

And it was completely ludicrous considering his illusory state but I still felt as though as I had somehow betrayed him. _Ares_.

 _I shouldn't feel guilty,_ I forced myself to believe. He was a spectre I had created inside my mind on one of my darkest days, he was a friend, he was enticement personified… but he wasn't _real_.

I licked my dry lips once before leaning back, my body gently swaying from one side to the other as my head turned slowly to the right. My unfocused eyes settled on the nightstand and all prior thoughts vanished from existence.

A single letter lay abandoned on the surface of the polished wood, the envelope unsealed, a result of the many, many times over the past few months that I had found myself drawn back to read it over. Just read it through one last time… because the writing on that paper was not just a connection to the past, but to the side of a man I had never known.

I had never once stopped to believe, not even for a single second, that this side of the man could have ever once existed. For if I had known the truth back then, he might have truly become part of my family, an uncle who, one day, I would have learned not to despise.

A forlorn smile crossed my face and I reached out, taking the letter in my hands. I pulled back the flap and slipped out the folded piece of paper which I gently opened.

My eyes began to burn as I skimmed over the rushed, cursive words.

 _Kiannah,_

 _I never understood how Grayson and Miranda were able to raise three extraordinary children… just as I did not know how to take care of you once they had both gone._

 _It was a task I was never able to uphold and that was one of my greatest mistakes. Because in doing so, I lost the time I should have spent with you._

 _And now I'll never be able to make up for that._

 _I'm dying, Kiah. This was my decision and although you won't understand, I've made my peace but I couldn't leave this life without saying goodbye to you. There are so many things I should have said before now but my time is so very short and I fear that this is the last chance I have._

 _All I can do is tell you this._

 _I wish I could have been there, I wish I had been a better uncle. I lived my life full of guilt and anger and prejudice and in doing so I destroyed the bond I had with you. That is something I will forever regret._

 _As I am writing this letter I know that I don't expect you to read this just as I don't expect you to ever forgive me. I was never there for you Kiah, for any of it._

 _I failed you and I'm sorry._

 _Take care of Jeremy, of Elena. You are all they have left. Please don't lose sight of that. And whatever comes next for you in this life, don't ever lose sight of who you are._

 _With all my love Kiah,_

 _Uncle John._

Tears seeped from my eyes and I looked unseeingly up at the ceiling. As the droplets steadily rolled down my cheeks, I lifted an arm and used the heels of my hands to angrily wipe them away.

When the opening front door sounded from downstairs, I jerked myself out of my thoughts and sniffing once, I swallowed hard and folded the piece of paper along the creases before placing it back down onto the bedside table with trembling hands.

"What are you doing?" My head turned to the right, looking towards the ajar bedroom door, listening to the voices which were sounding up from the living room.

"I'm not gonna stay here anymore."

Furrowing my brows, I slowly stepped out onto the landing and silently descended the stairs. With each unsteady step, the feeling of numbness clouded my mind as Alaric's despondent tone drifted through my ears.

The reason behind my curiosity after overhearing his brash responses to my sister this morning, were finally coming to a disconsolate conclusion.

"I drink too much, I, I say the wrong things. You know I encourage bad behaviour. School I can pull together but in my own life, with you, with Jeremy, with Kiah… and the way I miss _Jenna_ …" his voice broke and my breath caught.

I sank down four steps from the landing, my head resting on top of my arms which curled loosely round my knees.

"It's just…" Alaric sighed. "I'm not really good to _anybody_ right now."

He strode into my line of sight and I looked blankly up to see a worn and grieving face staring straight back into mine.

"I'm sorry, Kiannah," he uttered before turning to Elena who had made her way to stand by my side. Her red lips parted as she watched the man, who she had come to regard as a guardian, stand there, his hand on the doorknob and rucksack thrown over one shoulder.

Alaric Saltzman was ready to leave the Gilbert household, to let us handle everything on our own. We were naïve to ever believe, for even one second, that something permanent could ever truly come from this.

My sister couldn't hide back her desperately sorrowful gaze.

Alaric smiled sadly back at her. "You're eighteen Elena. You can do this on your own now…" He met my eyes of burning amber once more. "You can do it better without me," he said softly and I swallowed hard, blinking back my tears before coming to a decision.

I finally rose to my feet. "If this is what you really want," I whispered. "Then go." I managed a small smile. "We'll be fine," I reassured.

Alaric nodded and turned around. He opened the door and paused. With one final look and one soft smile cast through dark and misty eyes, he turned his back on us and disappeared off into the night.

I held back a small flinch at the soft click of the door closing behind him and Elena released a shaky breath. She walked unsteadily into the living room and I silently watched her the entire time. The handbag fell from her loose grasp and she sank down onto the sofa, her head buried in her hands.

I chewed on my lip hard at the sight of her sagged shoulders and the tears which silently trickled down her face. Yet, I already knew the cause of her melancholy. Her sadness wasn't for Alaric. Not even _close_.

When her left hand closed around the large silver pendant resting against her neck, I inhaled once before stepping forward.

"He's right you know," I whispered and Elena froze. "We can do this alone. We can do this _better_."

I shook my head at her continued silence but from her subtle actions, I knew she was listening.

Very softly, I continued, "I know you miss _him_ but _he_ was the one who _left_ when you needed him the most. And yeah, I don't know anything about the shit which went down between the two of you and quite frankly, _I don't care_... but you can't keep holding on to all this sadness and guilt. And you can't try to make mine and Jeremy's lives perfect just so you can be distracted from yours… it will _destroy you_."

There was a small silence.

Elena finally lowered her hands. "Stefan was it for me," she whispered.

"You're right," I agreed. "Back then he _was_. But you can't sit around letting life pass you by because you're still waiting for him to show up."

Elena rose to her feet. She slowly began to approach and I watched her unblinkingly. "How could you _ever understand?_ " she challenged. She reached for her necklace and rolled the pendant round between her thumb and forefinger once more. "You have _never_ been in _love_."

And just like that, reality hit. As it always inevitably did. "No," I finally replied. "No, I suppose I haven't." I turned away, my gaze wandering around our home. My lips pressed themselves together tight.

This house had once been so vibrant, so full of energy, of _life_ … but now that had all gone. All that we had left was an empty aura which hung around the room. Our past had disintegrated into nothing but faded memories and echoes of the people we once were.

My unfocused eyes drifted to rest upon a small object in the far left-hand corner of the room. "But I'm giving you my advice anyway," I uttered. No conscious thought was needed as I slowly started to walk forwards. "If Stefan chose to leave you then you need to let him go… but if he's doing this to push you away…" I faltered for a few seconds before reluctantly admitting, "Then I suppose you might as well fight."

I approached the corner table and my arm extended, reaching out for the frame and gently lifting it up. "Either way it's time to move on," I whispered. Mom and Dad's smiling faces blurred in front of my tired eyes. "For all of us." I set the picture down, letting it take back its rightful place amongst the surrounding pictures of my family.

Elena took a place by my side and as the seconds ticked by, we continued to stand there. And for a moment everything seemed normal. For a moment we were just two sisters standing side by side, staring straight ahead to an image of the fallen as we thought back to a time where our lives seemed infinite.

"What happened to us, Kiah?" Elena breathed into the silent air and I blinked once, tearing my gaze away from the frozen faces.

Old bonds break, new bonds form. And although some bonds would always remain, others were simply too broken to mend. The scar just cut too deep. Even if both parties didn't realise it yet.

"People change," I quietly responded. Then without another word, I retreated, turning my back on her and stepping out into the hallway.

When I reached the foot of the stairs, I found myself abruptly pausing, my hand resting lightly on the bannister. I could hear my sister behind me. She had followed me out into the hall. Silent. Unsure of what to say next.

Coming to a decision, I spun back around. "Elena?" I uttered.

She looked up at me. "Yeah?" she softly questioned but I just nodded towards the kitchen.

"Happy birthday."

And as I ascended to my room, I left her standing there with her shoulders slumped.

After a couple more seconds had passed, as soon as my bedroom door had finally closed, she forced her feet forwards.

She entered the kitchen. A thinly wrapped, silver package lay on the counter.

She gently tore back the wrappings with steady hands and her mouth parted in awe at the shadowed image before her. Created entirely from graphite and charcoal, the images of her parents, her siblings and herself encompassed the white paper background.

The bottom right of the page held a thin scribble of words which Elena softly scanned.

 _I'm broke._

 _Kiah_.

A choked laugh bubbled up from her throat before tears welled in her eyes. She gripped the sketch with quivering hands and retreated upstairs, her thoughts completely askew.

A small yet conflicted smile remained upon her face.

And as the clock struck one in the morning, Elena Gilbert entered her bedroom and made a left turn. She closed the bathroom door behind her. Her phone screen lit up on the nightstand. It began to steadily vibrate.

The caller ID: unknown.

* * *

"So, putting those obvious inebriations of yours aside, how did it go?"

"It was a high school party. It went how all high school parties go." I turned away, striding the length of the compound and he followed me close, like a dark shadow, as I recounted off the events of the night. "I drank. I danced." I whirled around to face him and grinned. " _Terribly_ , I might add."

"And your commoner?" he queried lightly but I could hear the subtle black ice in his tone.

"He wasn't worth it," I answered and hesitated momentarily before emphasising, "He wasn't worth it because…" I cut myself off, too afraid to say the words aloud.

 _He wasn't you._

"He just wasn't worth it," I whispered. "Not in the _slightest_."

There was a small pause. I trembled as I waited for him to respond.

"Well then," he mused in a quiet undertone. "We'll just have to fix that."

I gaped at him, the silent query rising. Then he began to stride forwards and reading his intentions, I instantly backed away, holding up a finger and pointing it sharply in his direction.

" _Oh no_ , don't you even think about putting all… _that._ " I gestured over his body. "on me again." I flipped my tangled hair back over my shoulders. "I look _hideous_."

"Well isn't it a _tremendous thing_ that I'll never be able to tell." He paused in his steps and his head shamelessly inclined. "Although darling, it's like what you said before," he continued, wicked suggestion coating his light tone. "That _delightful_ little number you have on leaves _nothing to the imagination_."

I rapidly glanced down over the tight midnight satin and lace. My cheeks flamed with red embarrassment.

"Although in all seriousness, I'm simply asking the beautiful faceless girl before me if she wants to dance," Ares murmured and I looked up, deliberating.

I could feel it all inside my head, what I wanted, what I truly desired to do. It was like an urge which was steadily growing, a strange energy itching in my head and begging to be released.

"Well in that case," I said softly and closed my eyes, letting it all go. It burst from my mind. I could feel the light power surge around me, gently swathing my form. When the soft material caressed my flesh, I let my eyes reopen. Then drawing my lower lip between my teeth, I hesitantly peered down.

My pyjamas had vanished. In its place was everything I had created in my mind. The dress was elegantly simple; the vibrant crimson cinched my waist and flowed out from my hips to float seamlessly around my knees. Two straps crossed over my exposed back in the shape of a V before tying together in a large, neat bow.

My lips parted in wonder as I stared. "I actually did it," I whispered with a soft gasp and Ares inclined his head.

"You _did_ ," he responded thoughtfully but before I had time to question his light surprise, he leaned forward. "So then darling," he extended his left hand, the gesture a soft question. "How about it?"

I didn't answer. There was no second thought needed. My actions were purely instinct. I placed my hand in his and he gently drew me to him. My other hand rose up to his shoulder and he curved his arm around my waist. His palm spread wide over the small of my back as he pressed me flush against his chest.

I could almost _hear_ my breath constricting, _feel_ my heart pounding fast.

In all the short years of my life I had never felt anything so natural and so right than the way we fit together so _completely_. And although I would never be able to admit to him aloud the reasons behind my actions tonight, I could no longer blatantly ignore them either.

As I gazed softly up at his face, I realised the truth.

Tonight had been a way to really release all the concealed emotions and tell-tale reactions from behind the locked doors in my mind.

But I had failed. No one would ever compare to my truest desire and it was in that moment that I let myself go and simply allowed myself to be here, with him. To naively pretend that he could actually feel something more than gaining simple outlets of pleasure from a friend.

In that moment I just danced in his arms to a silent music which only the two of us could hear.

"What year is it, Thea?"

His quiet question knocked me off balance. I tried to ignore the way his hand had tensed over my lower back. He was nervous... no, not nervous... _afraid_.

Fear lived in all of us but letting that feeling drive your other emotions was a side that Ares rarely showed. His apprehension made me hesitate.

"June 23rd ..." I finally whispered. "2010."

His arms around me gradually fell and he unsteadily backed away.

"Over a bloody century…" he uttered, shoving a hand through his hair as he cursed. " _Nik_..."

His voice broke and my heart tore. I walked closer, refusing to let him turn away.

In his rare moments of vulnerable trust, he would tell me the age old stories of his family… yet _this_ was _different_. This was the first time he had mentioned any of his siblings by _name_.

Now I knew why.

The way he mentioned his brother with such distain, such betrayal… such _hurt_ … it made me realise the underlying truth he had tried to conceal. That despite his adamant attempts to convince himself otherwise, he still cared for his own blood.

Perhaps he always would.

But seeing him in this shaken state in front of me was both unnerving and overwhelming... because his actions were now being guided by more delicate emotions. Though I had seen them surface during the times I desperately craved comfort, it was now _his_ barriers which had broken down.

And although he would gladly suffer being daggered for yet another century than admitting it out loud, this time, it was him who needed a friend.

I stepped forward and reached up. My hand curved softly, gently cupping his cheek. The feeling of him automatically leaning into my palm was all the confirmation I needed. My arms curled around his neck and he wrapped his own around my waist, holding me so tenderly, so delicately gentle.

When his head nuzzled my throat, my eyes fluttered closed.

That night, just like every other night for the past year, I had slept. I had slept, I had dreamt and tonight I had comforted my best friend who once again was coming to realise the curse of his immortality.

And it was then, when that fleeting thought passed so quickly through my head, I came to experience a similar feeling of terrifying fear: the inevitable, stomach-churning sense of foreboding realisation which arose every time I thought back to the reality which was waiting for me every time I opened my eyes.

Because my reality was simple. People were not immortal and vampires only existed in stories.

I couldn't stop the silent tear. It tricked down my cheek, splashing softly onto the paved stone ground.

Then something changed.

A whisper of wind blew over my face; its icy chill shot through my blood. A strong sense of nausea was rising in the pit of my stomach and little by little, the small hairs on my flesh began to rise.

Fighting the unexpected, overpowering urge to collapse, I opened my eyes, turned my head to the right and found the source of my fear.

It stood there in the very corner of my eye; a figured shadow blacker than the night sky which scratched my insides with fear. Then like smoke it drifted forwards, something clutched in its tight grasp **…** my stomach flipped and the terror rose. I could see it begin to rise… the silvery glint of a sharp blade.

Shaking uncontrollably, my head immediately dove. I pressed my face hard into Ares' shoulder, tightly burying myself in his hold. Lost in his own despondent thoughts, he seemed utterly unaware of my small lapse as I breathed in his scent, focusing in on his warm touch and the steady rise and fall of his chest.

 _In here with him I was safe_ , I told myself. _This was just a dream. In here there was only the two of us. In here we were alone._

Confident in my assurance I braced myself and gingerly opened my eyes. I drew out a long breath of relief.

It had gone… just a mere trick cast by the shadows of the flickering gaslights.

"No tears for me, darling," Ares abruptly murmured, and I blinked back my shock, unaware that I was still crying until he caressed the corner of my eye, inadvertently brushing the wetness away. "We wouldn't want to mar such an exotic face."

A surprised choked laugh fell past my lips and his chest vibrated with a quiet chuckle of his own before he took my hand once more and tugged me in. His fingertips moved up and down my spine as we gently swayed.

In the silence, I allowed my eyes to close and the scarlet dress disintegrated into a fine dust which drifted away in the light wind of the warm evening air. Soft pyjamas once again covered my skin and I morosely twisted the material in my hands, the same material I presently wore as I slept in the true world of actuality.

 _And that single truth hurt_ , I realised as I glanced sadly down at my attire. Maybe this recurring revelation was my mind's way of helping me cope when I returned to consciousness.

Because if there was the slightest rare _slither of a chance_ that Ares had ever once been _real_ , his time had ended over a century ago. My mind had made the man with the blurred face before me a vampire in the hopes that one day, he would show up on my front door… but he never would.

Because I had read all the books, analysed them all from cover to cover to find any alternate explanations apart from the one obvious actuality…

Ares was here to curb my isolation.

And as he twirled me around once in his arms before pulling me back in, I pressed my head back to his shoulder, a melancholy smile on my lips.

This was wish fulfilment. That was all it would ever be.

* * *

 **There you have it! Hope you all enjoyed :)** **Until next time.**

 _Reviews_

 _fate's mask: I love writing Kiah's and Kol's interactions, they just come so easily! Hope you like what I have planned for this story __:)  
wildman9002: Kol has that potential streak doesn't he? He definitely isn't going to like it when he finds out about the compulsions on Kiah that's for sure...  
Dark-Supernatural-Angel: Yeah, Kiah is Jeremy's fraternal twin, she is the youngest, if only by a couple of seconds and Damon definitely likes to make that known much to Kiah's dismay :D. Kiah and Kol's scenes are literally so easy to write, I already have that scene planned out where Kiah finally finds out the truth about Kol and it's gonna be so good :D Hope you liked the update!  
NotMyNameAnyway: Oh it's going to be such a shock for her isn't it. What Kiah's choices are, whether she decides to go straight into their enemy's arms or not, will definitely be a result of their actions! You'll find out Jeremy's internal thoughts when it comes to Kiah's compulsions in later chapters :)_ _Hope you liked the update!  
kmeds224: Thank you! Hope you liked the chapter :D  
Shadowing: Depends on how many times she gets compelled to forget… although they might start finding that part a tad bit more difficult now… I have the scene when Kiah realises the truth already drafted and can't wait to fully write that! Hope you liked the update __:)  
yasminasfeir1: Yay thank you! Hope you liked the second part!  
moglefrog: I'm so glad you like Kiah, she's such a fun character to write! Hope you liked the chapter __:)  
Midnight Alley: Thank you, hope you liked this one too! All I can say is that a lot will go down when Kiah realises the truth – the scene is already drafted and I love it!  
kankananimme123: Haha anything is possible, I wouldn't put it past Kiah to do just that to Klaus or Rebekah! ;)  
Serelena: Kiah's and Kol's scenes are just so easy to write! I'm so glad you like them! Hope you liked the chapter.  
Miss . Jxx: It didn't take me too long to update! Hope you liked it __:)  
jynxieminxie: I'm so glad you didn't wait and it didn't take too long to post this chapter! I'm so glad you like Kiah's character and you're so right - she may become quite close to one or two Mikaelson siblings if it meant aggravating her sister ;) hope you liked the update!  
Guest: Thank you so much __:D_


	4. Is It So Wrong?

_June 26, 2010_

 _Dear Diary._

 _It had started again. The familiar, never-ending cloud of darkness had come back to Mystic Falls and enveloped the town in an all-consuming black hole of grief. Another murder mystery had reared its ugly head and just like all the other unexplained cases we had come across in the past, I already know that the culprit would never be found_. _They never were and never would be._

 _Because this small town seemed to have so many secrets. It was a place where death lurked around every corner._

 _It had only been a few days since the sharply familiar reaper's scythe had claimed another victim and the impact was so paramount that you could almost feel that unexpected yet agonising sense of loss which swept over a shook and sombre community. And with that loss… our last moments of living in blissful naivety had ended._

 _On the rare days, I had truly yet so foolishly hoped that by the summer's end, we would finally have the chance to start over, cut our past losses from our lives and fight like hell to douse the fires of future agonising storms._

 _And from the ruins of destruction we had faced, we would light a new flame. A tiny flicker of hope would arise from the ashes and finally allow us to begin anew._

 _On that rare day, we would claim back our peaceful lives which had been so viciously torn apart by death and despair._

 _None of this should have been so hard. This town had already suffered too much in two short years to not deserve the tiniest shred of compensation._

 _And yet it seemed... even that... was just too much to ask for._

My pen fell from lax fingers and clattered softly onto the wooden surface below. Through the buzzing of subdued chatter, I barely heard it roll across the table before coming to a careening halt, the hard plastic tapping soft flesh.

From directly across from me, my brother jerked. He blinked owlishly down at the object which had interrupted his silent musings and his lips faintly twitched before he flicked the pen back across the table. I paid it no notice as my phone buzzed.

My amber eyes drifted down, my heart pounding with growing unease as my mind failed to comprehend the words which jolted out of the screen. A chill pierced my eyes to my brain, turning my blood to ice as I swiftly opened the alert and fearfully scanned the text.

 _"The 30-year-old reporter's body was recovered from the WPKW9 studio, the victim pronounced dead at the scene. Although diagnosis showed considerable vertical bruising along the back and spine, the coroner's diagnosis post-mortem confirmed the clinical cause of death a result of "head and neck injuries," following her substantial fall. Local police have ruled out homicide and no further investigation is required."_

Directly below the text was a miniaturised video and with one unsteady breath, I fumbled through my pockets for my earphones which I connected to my phone. Shoving the buds into my ears and swallowing down the bile which threatened to rise up the back of my throat, I pressed a trembling thumb onto the screen, allowing the image to play.

Tears streamed down the cheeks of the blonde reporter as she forced out her statement to the world.

 _"Whether suicide, or a tragic accident, WPKW News has lost one of its shining stars. The body of field reporter and weekend anchor Andie Star, was discovered at 10pm on Tuesday evening in a state of …"_

I yanked the buds out of my ears and slammed my phone down on the table, the screen fading to black as my heart beat out a dull throb, unable to take any more of this soul-crushing grief. The pain around me was like the ache of an open wound barely past its initial impacting sting.

My jaw clenched as I read past the words the reporter had failed to conceal, my ireful mind filling in the blanks with vicious abandon. _'We would like to thank the sheriff's department for their laziness and blatant disregard for the community's safety as they participate in yet another fucking cover-up to hide back the truth. When asked for comment, they expressed their utmost apologies for the shittiness of the WPKW security cameras in the studio that night, which failed to catch our culprit.'_

Without conscious thought, my fingers found themselves curled back around the pen. My eyes narrowed as I pressed the nib hard against the page, venting out my loss, my anger and my frustration at the mysteries still left unsolved.

 _I always knew Mystic Falls was no Eden but this past year had felt like somebody had smashed some big ass mirror and we were still picking up the shards of bad luck. Those tiny glass pieces just kept on falling._

 _Sometimes, in the ever growing pit of my stomach, I believed that they would never stop. That on the day when we would least expect it, on a day when we would finally know peace, the tiniest glass splinter would pierce our lives... and on impact, it would shatter us completely._

 _If those days ever came, I would find myself lucky. I had found myself a place where I could lose myself, fool myself into believing in the truths of a dream which most days surpassed the reality I had constantly come to witness. Maybe by falling into my subconscious realms and turning a blind eye to the goings on around me was dangerous but I had long ago lost the ability to care for consequences._

 _Because I had allowed myself to put the entirety of my trust in an enigmatic man who was the incarnation of fear. More unhinged and lethal than anything I had ever come across combined._

 _That alone should have been my red herring, the catalyst to ensuring my self-preservation but still, the shadows of fear never followed me._

 _Not with him. Never with him._

 _Because he had become my solace. It was the others that needed a watchful eye._

"Please tell me you're not turning into one of these losers that hangs out at work on his day off."

My pen stopped its scratching as his words slammed me out of my stupor. Catching my brother's eye with a wry glance, he nodded and together, we tilted back our heads. I sent Matt a blank look of appraisal before I stated casually, "I'm one of those losers that hangs out at work on her day off."

"You're _supposed_ to be working," Matt accused with his arms tightly crossed and I blinked once before raising my wrist, checking my watch.

"Ahh, I've still got time," I mused aloud, relaxing back into my seat and Jeremy hid back a humoured smile as I mentally added on an extra five seconds. "but if you're here to judge my dear brother then I'm _all ears_ , sweet Matty."

My twin however seemed undeterred and the more I watched his expression, the more my grin faded. My features merged into worried concern. The bags under his eyes seemed more prominent today.

Rubbing his temple, he wearily remarked, "You remember what we talked about _the other night_? How I've been seeing things?"

I missed the subtle warning glance that the blonde sent in my direction. "Honestly, Jer," he slowly replied. "That night was kind of a blur."

"Recreation will do that to you," I muttered out the remark and at the exasperated glares boring into the back of my head, I sighed and closed my diary with a sharp snap. "I get it," I uttered to myself while scraping back the chair with more force than necessary. "I'm gone."

The manager was waiting for me with crossed arms behind the bar and I greeted his stern expression with an innocently megawatt smile. "Is today the day, Robert?"

A muscle in his eye twitched. "Just get to work, Gilbert," he ordered and with that, he turned away, causing my grin to fall into one of aggravated confusion.

"What do I have to _do_ to get fired around here?" I muttered but nevertheless, I swiftly snatched the piece of paper from an unaware waitress' hand and quickly scanned the order before looking over to the corresponding table. My eyes narrowed in deliberation as I recognised the customers and my pupils sparked when I glanced back to the little piece of paper once more.

"Oh no." I tutted to myself as I swiped up an empty glass. "That _won't do_."

Not even five minutes had passed before I found myself striding towards the strange couple, their heads bent forwards as they conversed in hushed whispers. Once I stood before them, I dramatically cleared my throat.

"I can feel the sibling love emanating all around you like tiny little rays of sunshine, dear sister," I announced, causing her to immediately lurch back in her seat. "It warms me Elena, it _truly_ does."

Elena sighed and barely spent me a glance as she uttered, "Not now, Kiah," before rising from her seat and with a parting nod to her companion, she approached an awaiting Alaric. The two of them exited the Grill in long, rapid strides.

"And _pray tell_ , which theatrical production of Mission Impossible is she enacting today?" I wondered, my voice vague as I watched the door swing shut behind her billowing chocolate hair. "We still on 'Crisis of the Missing Boyfriend?'"

"Act three I think," Tyler responded and I mildly nodded along as I continued to muse.

"It's some long ass show that's for sure. Anyway..." I slid the glass over the table towards him. "Your order awaits."

Tyler's brow furrowed as he looked it over before raising his head, regarding me with confusion. "I didn't order this."

"Oh, you _did_ ," I responded as I passed him the receipt. "I just changed the recipe to one that suited you better. You know, since it seems Caroline stood you up and all, not that I'm _really that surprised_. I _always_ thought she could do better." I shuddered to myself as I envisioned it all in my head. "Seeing the two of you together that other night was like Barbie shacking up with a Ken downgrade."

" _Thanks_. This is _exactly_ the type of drink I need: Loneliness." Tyler read out the name of the cocktail with an exasperated drawl.

"Which is why I gave you this glass filled companion, so you don't have to be," I retorted before pausing to think. "Plus, I'm learning new recipes recently so I need a guinea pig."

Tyler raised the glass to his lips and I watched him expectantly. He took a short sip and his face immediately scrunched up, his head tilting ever so slightly to one side before he set the drink back down. "You might need a bit more practise," he admitted.

"That's what he keeps telling me," I responded cryptically, watching cheerfully at the question beginning to form on the dark haired boy's lips. Before he got the chance to out the words, he glanced over my shoulder and the rumble of sound immediately died in his throat.

"You moving in or something? You've been here forever," Matt wondered, his warm shoulder lightly brushing mine as he came to a stand by my side. Tyler's reply fell on deaf ears as the busboy abruptly spun round on his heel to face me, his expression hard as he accused, "You've been at this _half an hour_ and you're _still_ on your first table."

" _Hey!_ " I defended. "Juggling the role of waitress and bartender is _hard work_."

"You're a _busgirl_ ," Matt pointed out and I eyed the dishcloth in his white knuckled grasp with disgust.

"I dabble," I swiftly retorted. "and part of the bartender resume is the cliché role of psychologist."

"She's shit," Tyler muttered causing Matt to incline his head, the hard expression gone for the meantime and replaced by the faintest cracking of a smile. I paused for the slightest of seconds before spinning around on my heel to face him.

"You know what? I've decided to let that go since I know how _hard_ this recent blow must be to you however expected this sudden situation of yours is to the rest of us." Tyler's mouth upturned into a frown when I stepped closer to Matt and whispered loudly in his ear, "He's been abandoned by the Golden Queen of the Mystic Pompoms and thus, I'm offering my counsel."

"Care was supposed to be meeting me," Tyler swiftly explained, cutting my reply short. He then hesitated, his brow furrowing before he reluctantly queried, "You haven't seen her, have you?"

All previous humour remaining on the other male's face vanished. "Not keeping up on her comings and goings anymore."

He made a move to leave and Tyler's eyes narrowed. "Look man," he started and chair legs screeched against wooden floorboards as he rose hastily to his feet. "I never meant for me and her being _friends_ to be a _problem_ for you."

Matt's form froze and I stood still, chewing on my lip whilst I watched on. Waiting nervously for the outburst. But when Matt finally turned back around, he did so with a sigh.

"It is what it is." He then turned to me and his arm suddenly shot out, sending the dishcloth flying in my direction. "Start making yourself useful," he ordered. I swiftly swiped it out of the air and briskly proceeded to scrub Tyler's table free from the invisible scum.

Five seconds later, I whipped back to face him. "There," I declared. " _Happy?_ "

Matt rolled his eyes. " _Ecstatic_."

Tyler surveyed his retreat for a few moments longer before slowly sinking back into his chair, defeated. "He's looking a little green," he uttered in my direction. "Maybe you should be making him one of your special drinks instead."

"I _would_ but if were being _completely honest_ here Ty, I like him better than you," I responded, my voice quiet as I casually tipped my head, silently observing those slumped little shoulders of the retreating busboy in front of me. "And right now, he's in the Dementor phase of the breakup wherein every time he comes near with that face of self-pity, all happiness is sucked from the room. I just don't have the heart… what with those innocently miserable blue eyes… it's like kicking a puppy while it's still down."

There was a small silence. Tyler gazed at me through wide unblinking eyes of faux betrayal. "You like him better than me…"

His words were stunned and I offered him a one shouldered shrug in response. "What can I say, I dig the blondes."

"Well we both know _that's_ not true," Tyler retorted. "Nice try though." A sly smile began to form across his lips, giving me time to swallow back my apprehension. "I seemingly remember back to my time in fourth grade… and your little crush on me." My cheeks automatically flared and he innocently continued, "It was actually quite adorable, you and your thing for brunett-"

He instantly cut himself off. The realisation struck and brown eyes sparked with renewed humour as he regarded my embarrassment in a new light.

"Pissing off somebody?" he wondered and I licked my dry lips before managing to croak out a reply.

"It's actually more of an ongoing game he's letting me play, a resistance of body and mind. He's allowing me to test how long it takes for me to finally make him crack."

 _And he had,_ my mind internally reminded me _. He had turned the entire board upside down and smeared all the boundaries with that one bloody kiss_.

At Tyler's knowing stare, I cleared my throat, forcing back another heated flush. "But I'll admit, it's taking some time." I blithely fabricated the lie. "He's a pretty formidable opponent."

"I find that a little hard to believe," Tyler denied, his grin never faltering. "With those games of yours, you always win."

"That's because everybody else plays it safe," I responded, my tone quiet while my mind wandered. "They keep to the rules. But this one's like me. He's…" I trailed off as I struggled to find the right words to explain my enigmatic, faceless friend. " _Different_. Unpredictable. The rules don't apply to him." I shook my head and the corners of my mouth softly twitched. I had finally found my explanation. "He's the one that even the rule book is afraid of."

And during that other night he had unknowingly come out the ultimate winner in our ongoing game of seduction. I could never let him know that the tiniest fragment of my resilience had actually succumbed to his charms.

Because what I had with Ares was _way more_ than just some teasing entertainment to pass the time. We saw each other for who we truly were, our minds, our thoughts, our feelings behind the facades we put up against the rest of the world… we understood it _all_.

What we had was everything the other needed and I didn't want to put a chink in that connection because of my pesky spark of a crush.

Tyler studied me with rapt attention. A flicker of concern passed over his face. "Does your sister know?" he softly queried and an uncontrolled scoff burst from my throat.

"There are some things in life which she doesn't get to stick her nose into."

Tyler read through my scathing change in tone with rising confusion but chose the wise decision not to pry further. "So then," he teased. "When do I get to meet this mystery beau of yours?"

"If I have a say then never," I retaliated. Then my mind caught up and the words suddenly fell short. "Yeah." My body subtly twisted away from him, my numb heart stuttering in my chest. I refused to let him see the crippling desolation swimming behind my eyes. "Probably never," I silently whispered.

Tyler frowned, his worry becoming more apparent as the pain behind my quiet confession presented itself to his ears. Not wanting to partake in the conversation which had taken an abrupt and despairing turn, I raptly scanned the room for a distraction and found one almost immediately.

"That looks like an apology coffee train right there," I announced.

When Tyler's head snapped up to observe Matt's returning form, I swiped his cocktail from the table and clapped him on the shoulder with some soft parting words.

"My sister basically forgot about me the moment she had her first taste of a whirlwind romance with Boy Wonder. Take the advice from somebody who's already walked in Matt's lonely shoes… don't let your latest love… screw up the family you already have."

* * *

I couldn't bring myself to sleep that night. In the darkness. Away from the light. My eyes refused to close, my body negated to relax and switch off my wired brain so I could drift off into that other world. Instead I just lay there beneath the covers, my body as stiff as a board, my eyes staring blankly to the ceiling.

In the silence, I could almost hear the uncontrolled pounding of my heart skipping the odd beat while my stomach turned and my nerves drowned me in a sea of palpitating terror.

I had almost forgotten about it during my distractions of the day but now, in my world of black colour, the memories from four nights ago encompassed me with vengeance. Every time I looked into the blackness encasing my room, I was reminded of that foreboding figure with the masked face. The figure armed with the sharp blade.

My body lurched and I whipped onto my side, twisting uncomfortably beneath the covers. How I craved a sleep which wasn't dreamless, so I could let go and see him once more.

It was a yearning so strong; an overpowering urge to run into my illusory haven but my conscious fear was stronger. It had attached itself to me like a shadow, draining my body of the little bravery I had left until all that remained was a crippling sense of terror which dragged me down into this deep abyss.

"Seriously?"

"I was wrong."

It was the quiet murmurs drifting through the bedroom's thin walls which jolted me from my cascading thoughts, kicking my heart into a more courageous beat while it searched for a distraction from the torment inside.

My fingers curled over the blankets, pushing them to one side. I slowly got to my feet and padded towards the door which I pulled slightly ajar to listen.

Damon Salvatore's thoughtful tone drifted through my ears. "I thought Stefan was gone, but I was wrong."

"You saw him out there?" The hope in my sister's rising tone caused me to sigh. "Damon, is he okay?"

"No, he's not _okay_ , Elena," Damon spat. "He's an insufferable martyr that needs his ass kicked..." He drifted off and there was a small pause. "But he can be saved," he whispered softly and I pressed my lips together in a thin line before quietly closing my door, muffling the sounds from outside.

"So the Golden Boy might _actually_ be returning to town," I grumbled to myself. "Good to know." I slipped back beneath the covers, my fingers clutching the pillow as I buried myself into the soft warmth. I forced my eyes to close, hoping that this time it would work.

But I couldn't drift off and my sister's voice was getting loud enough to pass through the walls.

"Why are you _being like this?_ " Elena protested and Damon's demand rose to meet her pitch.

"What changed your _mind_ , Elena?"

"I didn't want to see you get _hurt, okay?_ " she shouted and my eyes snapped open. "I was... I was worried about you."

 _Holy crap on a cracker._

I pushed the covers away from me once more, my face promising retribution as I reached haphazardly towards the nightstand. The light from the phone burned my eyes and blinking rapidly, my sight finally readjusted.

The time on the screen blared straight back at me.

"Yes, I worry about you. Why do you even have to hear _me say it_?" Elena snapped and my scowl deepened.

"Because when I drag my brother from the edge and deliver him back to you, I want you to remember the _things you felt_ while he was _gone_."

I chucked the phone back onto the stand and leapt to my feet.

It was time for a bloody intervention.

In five long strides I had reached out, swinging my door back with more force than necessary and burst into the hallway, coming to a sudden halt in front of Elena's open door.

The two were stood close, lost in their own little world. Damon's palms were cupping either side of her neck, his thumbs gently caressing her cheeks. And she was staring deeply into his eyes, just as he was staring so intensely into hers.

The emotion passing between them was too nauseating for me to even contemplate. I had to put it to an end... before my sister did something she would later regret.

With one deliberate throat clear, the couple finally sensed my presence and leaped apart as if burned.

I smiled at them, my face portraying nothing but innocent confusion. "I _do hope_ I'm not interrupting anything."

My sister carefully avoided my eyes. She glanced guiltily at the ground and with one last lingering glance, Damon backed away.

"Littlest Gilbert _. Pleasure_ as always," he acknowledged, turning to me with a smirk which twisted my insides.

"Well, I wouldn't go _that_ far." I responded, the sound so saccharinely sweet as I glared him down. "It is _five fucking am_. I need my fucking sleep, so _unless_ you want a demonstration on how adept I've become in the martial art of ass-kicking, I fucking _suggest_ that you get out of my house."

"Fine by me," he drawled back but when he made his way to the open door, I sidestepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Erm, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I queried and Damon raised a black brow.

"I would have thought that to be obvious."

"Then maybe I didn't make myself clear _enough_." I jerked my thumb towards the open balcony window and Damon's blue orbs chilled with disbelief.

"You have got to be _kidding_ me."

"Nope - you came in that way, you go out that way."

"Actually, I have a much better idea," he suggested and my heart lurched with the tiniest flicker of fear. He closed the distance between us. His hand curved around the back of my neck and jerked my head round to his. _"Why don't you go back to sleep, while I finish off an important conversation with your sister."_

The tiniest prickle itched in my brain and it began to grow in harmony with the raven haired Salvatore's words. An abrupt tiredness swept over my body, a gentle pressure urging me to retreat back to my room but I shook my head and forced that impulse down.

All that remained was repulsion for the insinuation behind Damon's command.

"I seemed to miss the memo on when you decided to take on my _dead father's role,"_ I snarled and the smallest flash of shock swam behind the black pupils before they contracted again.

"Must have got lost in the mail, so I'll repeat myself." His hand flexed tight against my neck as he growled, " _You're tired Kiah, so why don't you be a good little girl and go back to sleep."_

I blinked once and broke away from his gaze, a loud yawn escaping from my mouth. My feet moved without conscious command, backing me away from the two people I could no longer stand to be around.

"Actually you know what? I am actually quite tired so I'm just gonna..." I gestured limply towards my room and Damon's hand fell to his side. He leaned back, his pupils returning back to their original size as he smugly nodded his agreement.

"You do that."

He waited until I had completely disappeared from earshot before uttering quietly, "She isn't on vervain, is she?" and Elena slowly shook her head, her skin chalky white from the scene she had just witnessed.

"No," she whispered, her eyebrows puckered in concentration as she struggled to recall. "Although the night of my party, Caroline told me something similar happened when she compelled Kiah to leave." She dragged an agitated hand through her hair. "God I didn't even _think_."

"Hey." Damon swiftly stepped forwards, his hand closing over her wrist. He gently lowered her arm back down. "We'll keep an eye on her, Elena." His fingers threaded through her tresses with a light caress and smoothed the tangled strands. "Okay?" he murmured and Elena allowed herself a small smile.

"Okay," she whispered, confident in his assurance that everything was okay but just as I was about to enter my room, the door to my left creaked open.

I paused in my steps and turned back around. The sudden urge to fall back asleep was gone.

Jeremy walked sluggishly out onto the landing, blinking heavily.

"Wuzz goin on?" he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. I leaned back against my doorframe, folding my arms tight across my chest and craning my head towards our sister's bedroom.

"Leather infestation."

'You tell it to get out?" he whispered and with narrowed eyes, I shook my head at my own failure.

"Bastard's resilient."

The sound of the front door opening caused the two of us to whip around. When the stairs creaked, my mouth fell slightly ajar when the person ascending them came into view.

Damon brushed past us and with his fleeting comment of, "How's it going, Ric?" he made his way rapidly down the stairs, the front door shutting with an audible click behind him.

Jeremy and I just stared. Our history teacher stood on the landing, watching us awkwardly. His bags hung from both hands while he waited for one of us to speak.

After a few seconds ticked by, the breath left my lips with a low whistle. "Well that's a complete one-eighty if I have ever did see one." I tilted my head in my twin's direction. "What do you think, Jer?"

Jeremy just crossed his arms and smiled.

"I don't have to worry about you upping and leaving again tomorrow do I?" I shook my head with dramatic weariness. "I don't think I can keep up with these yo-yo decisions of yours."

Alaric's lips twitched, his relief at our acceptance apparent. Then he rotated his body and the corners of his eyes creased with his concern.

Elena still stood in the place where Damon had left her, a frown marring her blank eyes.

"Know what you're doing there?" he softly enquired and her shoulders sagged.

She released a slow breath of air. "No, I don't."

"She's not keeping friend zone in his designated area, is she?" I uttered to my brother, the revelation creeping up into my mind and Jeremy kept his gaze straight in front of him.

"Apparently not," he replied, his tone just as low. His head twisted back in my direction and he scrutinised my unwavering focus on my sister's confliction. "What are you thinking?" he whispered and my amber irises glittered.

"That this is gonna be _fun_."

Oblivious to our mutterings, Elena's attention flew to mine and I narrowed my eyes, matching her defiance.

"Damon and I _told you_ to go to bed, Kiah," she said hotly and Alaric and Jeremy froze. I looked to them, my brows furrowing but Elena's sharp demand snapped my focus back onto her. "Why are you even up at this hour?"

"Because you _refuse_ to keep your night visitors to a low," I retaliated. "And said visitors, who _obviously_ do not know the _difference_ between night and day, usually tend to disturb _all_ the sleeping people within a _five block radius_."

Her chocolate eyes flashed and when her face contorted, I took a step forwards.

"Although if you really want to play that game then why are _you_ back so late, sister?"

She stopped short and my twin shifted as I scathingly pursued, "Jeremy told me about your little group's _impromptu trip_ and I _highly doubt_ that you would spend a six hour drive, _there and back_ , just to go backpacking up some Tennessee mountains unless Stefan's finally found his call as a hillbilly."

I began to circle her frozen form and softly accused, "Is this the big secret you're keeping? Were you and your boyfriend's big bro on some snuggly getaway together?" I never moved my gaze from her face, reading every emotion, her rising fury. "Maybe that's the real reason why Stefan left this god forsaken town," I continued to torment. " _Maybe_ he got the hell out of dodge when he realised the truth."

"You're wrong," Elena finally spat and I came to a sudden stop in front of her, ignoring the bated breaths from the two men behind us who were silently watching our confrontation.

" _Am I now?_ " I gasped out my mocking shock. "Then just a little tip, which I _highly suggest_ you take under advisement in future. With all those secrets you're keeping under lock and key, lies begin to spread." I tutted out my disappointment when her silence remained steady. "People tend to get the wrong idea when they are oblivious to the truth, especially when said truth involves inviting strange men into your room during odd hours of the night."

Elena stepped back and I immediately counteracted it with one of my own as I warned her, "If you keep going on as you are Elena, standing between two brothers, then those people will start to talk and I can just _imagine_ how _tragic_ that could get should word ever get around. Especially since we live in such a small town." My hand extended to give her one patronizing pat on the shoulder. "So you'd better keep on your best behaviour dear sister, sweet dreams."

And with that I returned to my bedroom, my door finally shutting with a sharp click. I lay down once more, wide awake in the darkness, completely unaware that Elena, Alaric and Jeremy were still watching my closed door.

My sister silently fumed while the other two slowly faced her with curious trepidation.

"What's going on?" Alaric whispered, reading her apprehensive confusion and Elena paused before she reluctantly replied.

"Kiah's fighting the compulsion."

* * *

 _August 23, 2010_

 _I thought I had truly known what loneliness felt like. The smallest of conversations, a fleeting comment here and there, voices dying down as soon as I entered a room… but this… this was different._

 _For the past few months I had been living inside a home of seclusion. My brother never left his room while my sister buried herself in research and odd impromptu trips out of the state, travelling off to destinations unknown. We never spoke these days but when it came to her, I already knew the cause._

 _Stefan. It always came back to Stefan._

 _With that I had been upgraded from ignored to invisible._

 _The further time we spent apart, the further I drifted away._

 _All I had was myself, a job I so clearly loathed and a pitying manager who refused to fire the girl who had lost her family. Some days I would consider it a blessing. Some days it was better to actually do something. No matter how meagre the task seemed, it was better than having nothing to do at all._

 _But then there came the days where I no longer had the Grill to distract me. All I could do was hole up in my room and after the events of last week, I didn't dare leave._

 _Because just seven days prior, Elena had vanished off with Damon to Chicago. She had finally found Stefan... yet when she returned home with her red, tearful eyes as blank as an empty canvas, we all knew the truth of what happened._

 _Now we were all walking barefoot on broken glass._

 _Waiting for the day she finally broke._

 _And so, when the older Salvatore decided to wheedle his way into our home with all his comforts and sympathies, all I had left to save me was one simple action, to close my eyes and just keep on sleeping, always hoping that one day I would dream again… but even those days were beginning to feel difficult._

 _Every night, I found myself being haunted by an irrational fear of a five-second-appearing-spectre which sent my mind tumbling through a chasm of consternation._

 _But on those sporadic days when my body gave in to the overpowering tiredness and my unconscious world managed to break through to put an end to my dreamless nights, I would be saved from the maddening curse of my isolation._

* * *

I couldn't remember how I had successfully managed to drift off or why I didn't sleep through the entire course of the night undisturbed.

Most would call it a consequence of my mental and physical exhaustion but in the end, I believed it to be pure luck when I found myself standing inside the visual world of my mind. A faint lamplight streamed down from the dark ceiling above and casted a dim luminosity over my strange surroundings.

All it took was one quick scan over the unfamiliar room, from the dusty bottles plastered to the shelves on the walls, to the upturned chairs stacked atop of tables, for an involuntary groan to break its way past my throat.

" _Fantastic_ ," I grumbled, running the tips of my fingers over the polished surface of the bar before drumming them idly against the wood. "I spend my _whole life_ trying to get away from places like this and now I'm stuck with it inside my unconsciousness too."

"Heyyy, it can't be all bad now, can it?"

Heart leaping into my throat, I whipped around and couldn't help the smile from forming across my face. After all this time I had found him again and he was just a few feet away.

The sound of his light-hearted tone sent a warm shiver through my blood. "I for one can say that my night is improving quite nicely."

"Then I guess it's all in the perspective," I replied, the retaliation coming almost naturally whilst I tactfully blinked back tears which threatened to form. "Although, you know what?" I drew in a breath, speaking the words softly. "In this case…"

I stepped forward, all too aware that I could feel every nerve of my entire system jittering… but not a single part of me could bring myself to give a damn. These past few months alone without him had gone on for far too fucking long and I needed to do this.

He silently watched my approach, the sight of his relaxed stance enough to make my confidence flare before I closed the last five footsteps between us with one swift running jump.

Our bodies collided and I flung my arms around his neck, feeling him stagger as my legs wrapped around his hips. When my head buried into the dip in his shoulder and my lips parted to exhale a breathless sigh, his frame tensed fleetingly before the subtlest of growls rumbled through his throat.

An instant later his arms had banded around me, his hands curving under my thighs, his long fingers splayed as he held them tight, securing me in place against his chest.

I could feel and hear the sound of his low chuckle vibrate through my entirety as his head dipped down, his mouth hovering by my temple. "Not that I'm all for this sudden affection, darling… but care to fill me in on this little turnaround of yours?" The brush of lips against my flesh caused me to shudder but I still didn't pull away and amusement laced his tone. "Don't tell me you're _actually_ _happy_ to see me."

My thumbs absentmindedly stroked the nape of his neck and completely ignorant to the action, I squeezed my eyes shut as I replied, "Can't you just accept that as _impossible_ to believe as it is, seeing you again is _not_ the worst thing in the world that could happen to me?"

I could practically feel his body inflate at my words and instantly backtracked.

"Not the best either," I added, refusing to brush his ego. "You're quite the average company."

Yet even as my lips tilted against his throat at the success of my blasé retaliation, my arms around him had tightened and he paused before gently unhooking my legs. He slid me down his body and when my feet touched the ground, his palms skimmed from my thighs to my hips. A hand threaded through the ends of my hair, gently playing, teasing the maple locks through his fingers.

"How long has it been for you since last we spoke?" he murmured, never looking away from my face. He was silently demanding my answer and recognising the shift in the atmosphere, my gaze drifted over his shoulder.

It took me a moment to reply. "Couple of months, give or take." Bewilderment swept over me and I blinked up at him. "How did you figure?"

"Well when a beautiful woman decides to hurl herself at you with the type of flair that you so magnificently pulled off by the way little dreamer, the signs tend to go up. I just responded as any typical mortal would when they stumble across such a rousing opportunity."

He squeezed my hips, using them to pull me in. My senses shot to high alert, blood rushing as he trapped me against his frame.

"Although I can't bring myself to blame you darling, for your willing surrender to my captivating disposition. Though in all fairness," His head dipped to my ear. "You lasted longer than most."

"And I damn well will continue to hold that streak so you can stop right there," I responded with a shaky laugh, my palms spread wide against his chest. I gently pushed him away, my emotions once again my own. "And don't even _attempt_ to pull your shit defensive quips on me when we both know that you were squeezing me _pretty tight_ just now."

He was uncharacteristically silent but I knew that behind the concealment of his face, his eyes would be watching me with an intensity that not even my imagination could create.

" _Admit it_ , Ares," I challenged. "Your world went that a little bit darker without me. Or better yet…" I held up a finger, exaggerating my gasp as I exclaimed, "I would even go so far as to bet that you actually _missed_ _me_."

"When you're trapped in an everlasting slumber inside your own head, you tend to lose perspective of time," he steadily responded but there was a strange lilt in his voice which caused me to shoot up a brow.

Before I could question it further, the lapse had already gone.

"And I suppose I'll admit it," he added with smooth declaration. "Boredom tends to rear its ugly head when you're not around."

I swallowed, forcing myself to turn away and my hand flexed, fighting back the urge to return to his side. I scanned the bar for a distraction and a sly grin made its way across my face, the visual retort suddenly present in the forefront of my mind.

"Did you _ever think_ to invest in one of these bad boys?" I wondered with a grin, thinking back to the dress from our last encounter and with the simple narrowing of my eyes, I allowed my mind to roam free.

The mirror popped into existence at the mere wish of a thought and I gestured to it with triumph, my fingertips tingling. "Knowing you as I do, I'm _sure_ introductions are not needed. You two should already be well enough acquainted by now."

Ares tipped his head in its direction for long one moment before focusing back on me.

"In this case, I confess my control over this place seems to be quite limited," he quietly mused. "But recently I prefer more breathing forms of distraction."

In the blink of an eye, he was standing behind me, his head dipped, chin resting on my shoulder.

"So, little dreamer," he uttered low. "Distract me. What have I missed? Any more insight into your despicable family's squabbles?"

I turned my head towards him. "I thought it was the bartender's job to listen in places like these?" Our cheeks faintly brushed as I softly teased, "Think I'd trust a man like him better than you."

"Well unfortunately for you, I was never one for rules," he smoothly responded. "Why take out all the fun when you could mix it up a little? Makes it interesting."

His fingers found my waist, the tips pushing away the hem of my top so they could move in soft patterns against my skin. With one simple tug, he drew me back into his hold. "And since you helped me in the past by allowing me to overcome the consequences of my bastard brother's betrayal, I've decided to return the favour."

His head turned to my throat and I stilled, my muscles locked in place as I drew in a breath and held.

"Although come to think of it," he purred, his mouth brushing the lightest path along my throat. "Maybe I _am_ getting something out of this."

I could feel my head arching, the show of acceptance to his actions. I let myself be washed away with the sensations his voice stirred within me. Yet when I felt him press his lips harder against my throat, I bit back a smile, pushing back the searing heat within as I rolled my exasperated eyes.

"You're a bloody hedonist, cannibal," I breathed and with all the strength I could muster, I stepped away from him and approached the bar.

"What are you doing?" he queried and I flipped up the countertop, carefully passing through to the other side before I twirled back around to face him.

"I was always better at show than tell."

"And as it so happens, I do love a good show." He slid up onto the stool in front of me and gestured out his arm. "So by all means," he urged. "The floor is yours."

He waited patiently while I paced, allowing me to gather my thoughts and turn them into words he would understand. Determined to keep my emotions steady, I gazed around and my attention fell onto the glasses laid out on the shelf beneath me. I pulled one out from the underbar, keeping my hands busy whilst I proceeded to pour and mix the ingredients.

"My house is getting contaminated," I started simply. "My sister is playing the role of a perfect hostess to this leather-wearing parasite who _just so happens_ to be her absentee boyfriend's brother. When they don't disregard my existence, they make it their life's mission to get off on telling me what to do."

Ares leaned forward, his hands pressed flat against the counter but I could see his fingers twitch. "And the rest of your family?" he wondered, his tone taking on an edge and I swiftly slid the drink across the table which he reluctantly accepted.

"They all have problems of their own to deal with." I lifted my shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. "Seems like these days they talk to me 'cause they have to. Moral obligation and all." I glanced down at my feet and uttered, "I'm something to pass the time until something better comes along."

A low rumble echoed through the air but I paid it no notice as I lifted my head back up and forced a smile.

"So this is me," I concluded, waving at the air around me before extending my arm and gesturing to the surrounding empty tables. "And this is the rest of the world…. and I'm putting a block up."

Just as I was about to push the countertop piece back down, the stool had scraped back and Ares had shot up. His hand suddenly curved around the polished edge, his thumb brushing against mine as he counteracted my action. "You wouldn't keep me out, would you?" he said with a low hum.

"Would you _let me_ if I tried?" I retaliated. When he attempted to flip the countertop back up, I pushed it down harder with a laugh.

"Come, come darling, you should know better than to toy with me," he lightly chided, his forefinger curling under my chin and tipping my face to meet his distorted gaze directly. "By now, I think we've all established you won't shut me out and I even if you did, I can guarantee, I'll always get through."

With one snap of his wrist, his force overpowered mine and the counter flipped back up. I staggered away, panting slightly as he crossed over, pressing his chest flush against mine.

"And as for your sister's most recent male fancy, what would you like me to do to him?" he queried and I frowned before voicing my bafflement.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I could just kill him for you. Make it look like an accident." He never looked away from me, his words taking on a gentler tone. "For hurting you."

"I'd love to take you up on that, I really would," I whispered back before pausing for thought. I could see it play out in my head now: Imaginary friend goes up against the town prick. "But there are just some things in life that we can't really have," I said quietly.

In the end, Ares was just the voice in my head, the small push of encouragement I needed to find a better way to cope.

"I disagree," Ares said softly and I rolled my eyes.

"Of course _you_ would." My focus found itself wandering. It landed on the glass still resting untouched upon the bar surface. "You didn't finish your drink." I pointed out before offering, "Want me to make you another?"

He reached for my hair, curling a maple lock around his forefinger. "I'd rather leave that particular question unanswered in the interest of keeping that dignity of yours intact."

"I already lost that the last time you told me." I mimicked his tone and slapped his hand away. " _Bloody disaster_ is your most inspiring phrase to date." He chuckled but neither of us took a step back while I slowly considered, "But I've done some thinking and I have come to the conclusion that nobody can appreciate my rare skills."

"They are certainly quite the achievement," he agreed. "You just need to add a little more imagination."

"Think I'm doing _fucking brilliant_ on that part," I muttered to myself. "I made you up didn't I?" My words were met with silence and I swallowed. I never thought I would say this aloud but I found myself blurting, "But if you're so sure of yourself… then teach me."

The spark of a challenge jerked him into action and with one last coy tug on my hair, he let the lock slide through his fingers.

"Fair enough," he responded. He stepped around me and I followed him with my gaze until I felt my wrist being grabbed. "Although just to warn you, I prefer the traditional hands-on approach when it comes to my prized students."

He tugged me to stand in front of him, my back to his chest. His arms came around me and he pressed an empty glass into my palm before covering my hand with his own. With a visible shudder, I let him guide my hands as he saw fit, expertly prepping with casual flair.

"How do you even know how to make these?" I questioned, glancing down at the drink before looking out over the rest of the bar. "Did you spend a lot of time here?"

"I learned a lot of tricks in this place over a century ago, courtesy of a meek bartending witch," Ares, explained vaguely as we added in the Port. "She was very easy to please so unsurprisingly, she found herself enamoured the moment she set her eyes on yours truly. I charmed her into doing my bidding."

"Oh that poor, naïve sod." I shook my head, feigning despondency. "Let me guess, once you had done away with her range of expertise, you added her to your recently learned list of recipes too?"

"Her blood was a rather delightful ingredient but nonetheless, I assure you, once you and I are finished, you'll put all the bartenders in this city to shame."

It was quiet for a passing second before a snort passed through my mouth. "I think _somebody_ is a _little overconfident_ in their abilities."

"And _somebody_ _else_ is soon about to see just who is right," Ares responded and his voice was littered with concentration. My hands still played puppet in his grasp as he listed off his orders. "Just add a dash of lemon juice…. a little shake and strain as so… and you'll be good to go."

His grip on my hands loosened and right in front of us, on top of the bar surface, stood a shimmering blood red cocktail.

Ares reached across me, swiping up the drink by the stem and tipped a sample down his throat with a hum of appreciation. "Perfection if I do say so myself. Here…" He held it to my lips. "Care for a taste?"

My fingers clasped his wrist and he gently pushed the rim past my parted lips. My eyes fluttered closed as the liquid seeped to the back of my mouth. I savoured the taste then swallowed.

"It's not _completely_ terrible," I reluctantly admitted. Ares lowered our hands so he could set the glass down before snaking his arms round my waist. He held me to him as he lowered his head.

"You see, love." His husky breath fanned over my ear and my face violently blushed. "With me by your side, your talents have no bounds."

I swiped my tongue over my lips, relieved that I could avert my gaze, allowing me time in the small silence to find myself a response to his words.

"I hope you know that distracting me from my family did _nothing_ to help me feel better," I finally whispered and he turned me around in his arms to face him.

"And if you're going to be a liar, little dreamer…" He pinched my chin, tipping up my head and having no choice, I breathlessly inhaled as he dragged the pads of his fingers across my cheek in a soft caress. "Make sure it's with somebody who doesn't know your face."

He pressed his thumb against my lower lip and I smiled.

The dim lights suddenly began to flicker and I surveyed the room with a growing sense of unease. Ares sighed low and I soon found my face cupped between his palms. My arms automatically wrapped around him as he pressed his forehead against mine.

"Is it so wrong…" he murmured, the two of us desperately holding on until my figure turned to spectre. "…that the cruellest part of all the thousand years, I have endured… is watching you disappear as you wake?"

A small stream of sun drifted through the windows of our large empty solace and the last of the bar's lights extinguished.

* * *

That morning, I just lay there. My eyelids opened and narrowed into a squint as I raised my arm to shield my vision from the assault of light spilling in through the curtains.

When I finally found the spark of motivation to push myself from bed, Ares' words tumbled through my startled mind. I slowly took in his parting truth; a confession so raw… a confession which was steadily etching a permanent scar inside me while I prepared for the day in a weakened daze.

What he said had struck me, impacted me in a way I never thought possible. A way I didn't dare to feel. Ares was becoming too real for my liking and that realisation _hurt_ …

Having all that expectation and all that _hope_ would only suffocate and destroy if it was ever extinguished. If I wasn't too careful, I knew that one day I would suffer that consequential torment.

When I stepped out onto the landing, my ears pricked up at the muffled voices drifting up from below. I instantly descended the stairs two at a time and careened towards the dining room. As soon as I entered, the sight I was met with caused me to falter in my steps.

"I'm gonna have to start changing the locks," I grumbled.

"And a _big good morning to you too_ ," Damon drawled.

 _I was seriously considering taking Ares up on his offer to kill him._

"Good is up for deliberation," I retorted, the insult falling instantaneously from my mouth. It was then when I fully absorbed the scene before me and my skin automatically paled. "Oh good god, what is happening?" I questioned, dreading the answer when I inhaled the undeniable scent of the room, already knowing what it all meant.

"You're having chili for the next three months," Damon explained and with that single sentence, my day had been utterly ruined.

" _Fantastic_." I forced out my reply and with a small curse under my breath, I slipped out my phone from my jeans pocket. My thumbs flew across the keypad, pressing the letters rapidly.

Elena, realising almost immediately what I was doing, growled to herself and blinked back tears of frustration while she threw the chopped onions into the pot. A confused Damon watched her reaction for a moment before turning to contemplate my odd behaviour.

"And what exactly are you doing?" he queried.

"Finding a good takeout for the next three months," I responded without looking up. "Or a B&B." I flicked through the websites with renewed vigour. "My sister is free to eat her own chili-comfort-food _by all means_ but I would like my stomach to remain tolerant of all the things I decide to put in it. And _none of it_..." I jabbed my thumb in Elena's direction. "... includes _her shoddy cooking_."

Elena rolled her eyes while she continued to stir the sizzling ingredients. "Oh _chill,_ Kiah, the smoke alarm hasn't even gone off yet."

"The smoke alarm has been broken ever since Aunt Jenna told us it _questioned her abilities,_ " I idly retorted, opening up another browser and Elena just pressed her thin lips together before dumping in an excessive amount of diced garlic cloves.

She proceeded to beat the mixture into a frenzy and having no other choice, I sent a desperate glance towards Damon who instantly caught on and quickly intervened.

"I just don't know why you want to bring chili to a potluck." His face contorted into disgust. " _Everybody_ brings chili."

Movement sounded from behind us but I didn't look up, already knowing which one of the two other suspects it could be.

"Hey, Ric," Damon greeted and Alaric scanned the inhabitants of the room, his gaze resting on my inattentiveness for a split second.

A flash of unease passed over his features before he turned back to the duo and questioned, "What's up?"

Elena swiped up a chopping knife and proceeded to the carrots. "What time do you want to go to the Lockwood party?" she queried and I bit back my wince, no longer able to watch her painfully slow attempt at slicing the poor vegetables to pieces.

"Ah." Alaric hesitated before hastily explaining, "Those founders' parties aren't really my thing."

"Show up, there's going to be _nine other people_ that brought _chili_ ," Damon interjected.

"Nine people _minimum,_ " I casually corrected him and pulled back a dining stool. I slid onto it and propped up my elbows before burying my head in my hands. It was a way to hold back my aggravation. "And at the rate she's going, there's not gonna be enough room left for them on the Lockwood serving table."

"It's an old family recipe, _okay_?" Elena defended.

"Yeah, I know," Damon responded, making his way over to her side. Icy orbs subtly swept over me before he added, "And _if_ I knew your old family I can _guarantee_ , they would have also made sucky chili."

He swept the knife out of my sister's hands and her head immediately jerked towards him. With one flash of his smirk, a laugh burst forth from her lips and her shoulder bumped gently against his.

Alaric watched their interaction without emotion and my arms lowered. My hands curved tightly over the edge of the table while I fought the mental urge to bang my head against its surface.

"I can't believe I'm actually saying this but for once I agree with him," I muttered and with that, the two stepped back.

Elena retreated to the stove, the atmosphere now liberated from her residual raging hormones.

" _See_ ," Damon exclaimed. "Even your sister _of all people_ agrees with me. We're making progress." He wiggled his eyebrows my way. "Worried that one day we might _actually_ become friends?"

"Not really," I responded vaguely, turning my attention back to my phone to browse more websites in boredom. "You always find a way to screw it up eventually."

Damon's jaw clenched and Alaric chose that moment to intervene. "Why are you here, exactly?" he inquired and with that, the twisted smile was back.

"She knows," he whispered and Alaric twisted around to Elena who just sighed.

"He thinks I'm going to break." Damon scoffed and she frustratingly protested, "I'm _not going to break_!" She shrugged her shoulders, forcing a strained smile onto her face. "I am just going to keep making chili, pretend like I didn't just spend the _entire summer_ looking for someone who didn't want to be found."

"It's the typical Elena stage in her unrequited breakups," I commented while Elena snatched back the knife and shoved Damon aside in order to resume her chopping. "It's the ' _I know he's moved on_ phase but _deep down_ I know he's _still in love with me_.'" I set down my phone with a knowing smile. "I dub this stage, _denial_."

"I'm _not_ in _denial_ ," Elena hissed but Damon took the reins.

"No?" He stepped in front of her. His chest pressed to hers. His hand shot out. Her body froze. "You're still wearing this necklace," he murmured, twisting the circular piece of metal between his fingertips. "Isn't this the reminder of your _unbreakable bond_ with Stefan?"

Elena opened her mouth but as soon as she looked into his eyes, she could no longer find the words to answer. They just stood there. Chocolate orbs fixed upon ice blue. Her lips parted and her cheeks flushed. She once again fell away from her surroundings.

I pursed my lips at the continuous eye flirting and jerked my head to rid myself of this awkward vision. My attention drifted to Alaric who was still watching them with his strange revelation.

"Tell me about it," I muttered to him and his body jolted before he glanced at me, the same thoughts running through his head.

"How long?"

"If you're referring to the revolting displays of affection which you are seeing right in front of you, then just under half an hour… but that's only counting the duration of this morning alone."

Alaric grimaced and unaware of our interaction, Elena dropped the spoon from her grasp, the chili long forgotten from her mind.

With a passing, "I'll get it," she rushed out the room, responding to the doorbell which had suddenly chimed through the house.

When Damon made a move to resume where she left off, I sidestepped in front of him. My palm curved over the metal handle of the pot which quickly put a stop to his actions.

"Don't bother, it's a lost cause," I muttered to him as I eyed the poor simmering mixture with faux sadness. "Let it die with the dignity it still has left."

Pitched voices resonated from across the room and the two of us craned our heads towards the door. At the sound of the familiar tone, faint irritation clouded Damon's features. When I heard my name being called, I reluctantly forced my legs to work, bringing me into full surveillance of bright sapphire eyes.

"I come bearing gifts," Caroline chirped and I scanned the reunified trio, taking a brief note of the blonde's pristinely bubbling appearance before turning to the stairs.

 _Summer was officially over._

"I'm going back to bed," I grumbled.

"Erm, _no_ you're _not_ ," Elena argued, her beam fading as she pulled back from her hug with Bonnie to pierce me with disapproving eyes. "All you ever do these days, Kiah, is _sleep_ and it's _not healthy_. You're coming," she commanded. "And so is Jeremy. _No_ _arguments_."

" _Alright_ , I _bloody get it_ ," I snapped back, my fingers flexing but I forced them to remain by my sides. "Your way, Elena." When I turned my back on her and ascended the stairs, my jaw clenched as I forced the inaudible words out through gritted teeth. " _As_ _always_."

I stomped across the landing towards my twin's door but the muffled sounds coming from the other side had me stopping still. With my breath held, I pressed my ear against the wood to listen. The sounds I heard from the other side had my mouth curving into a small grin.

"I was dreaming about you," Jeremy uttered. "I-"

"Let me be the first one to tell you that talking to yourself is the first sign of madness," I announced, the door flinging back at the sudden jerk of my arm and Jeremy leapt up from his kneeling position upon the bed, his cheeks brightly flushing at my presence. "Although if these are practise lines… then the seductive delivery is on point... depending on who they're aimed at."

I cocked my head in amusement as I wondered, "Should I be worried that you're developing narcissistic qualities, twin?"

Then ignoring his responding splutters, I stepped to my left until I was in full frontal view of the mirror. I twirled a lock of maple hair around my finger, my lips forming a full pout whilst I admired the figure of perfection before me.

"I was dreaming about you too," I purred, winking once and my reflection winked back at me.

"Now _that_ I _can_ believe… although you're not exactly the _Queen of Subtly_ either, what with your obvious sleep talking and my thin walls," Jeremy argued.

His tone was meant to be teasing but all amusement from my face vanished. Apprehension began to rise in fear of what he could have possibly heard.

Jeremy never noticed my change in stature as he added, "So thanks for the concern and all but let's just agree that we say nothing more on this and that we keep our antisocial secrets from our sister, yeah?"

"I'll do you one further," I replied, turning my back on the mirror and staring at him head-on. "Let's just re-establish our relationship to _staying out of people's business_."

Furrowed lines appeared on his forehead. "Wait, when did we _ever_ have _that_ relationship?"

"I'd say for the past couple of months now," I responded carelessly. "And if you've somehow forgotten then think back. Feel free to remind me… when was the last time we _spoke_ to each other?"

Jeremy swallowed hard, the colour draining from his flesh. "Kiah, I-" he began but stopped short when I pointedly looked away, refusing to hear his petty excuses. He knew better by now than to try to make amends when I was in this state. With a shaky exhale, he reluctantly changed the subject and tentatively questioned, "Who was at the door?"

I glanced back to him and plastered a smile onto my face. "Well it sure to hell ain't chili but I think you'll find, it's just as hot."

His mouth parted and within seconds he had scrambled up off the bed and hurtled down the stairs. I followed him more slowly, folding my arms atop of the bannister and peered over just in time to see Bonnie fling herself into his awaiting arms.

The tiniest twinge pinpricked its way into my heart and slowly began to widen the hole until it became a throbbing ache of resentment and yearning.

With all eyes on the reuniting couple, there was no one who would care for my lacking presence. I retreated to my room, my hand reaching out to retrieve the familiar worn hardcover from the bookshelf.

My body trembled as I withdrew the diary from inside Freud's pages and opened it to the most recent entry. With the simple extension of my arm, I lifted the pen from my bedside table.

My thoughts and feelings erupted with one small sentence scribbled onto a single blank page.

 _Is it so wrong that the cruellest part of waking up, is watching him disappear?_

My pen dropped from my hand as if it had scorched my flesh and my fingers shook. I pressed my palm flat over the paper, rapidly smudging the ink until the recent words became illegible. Tears began to well and I rapidly blinked them back but not before a stray trickle managed to reach my chin.

I furiously wiped it away before squeezing my eyes together tight. All the while, my mouth moved to form the same three calming words over and over to bring me back to the rational world.

"Get it together."

* * *

 **It's here! Hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you thought!**

 **Next chapter will be up this week :D**

 _Reviews:_

 _Serelena: I'm so glad you like them! Hope you liked the update. Next part up this week!_  
 _Dark-Supernatural-Angel: I'm glad Kiah got to hear Kol finally open up a bit more about his family! Using Nik's name was definitely a step for him but he keeps a lot back. When he decides to open up to Kiah, he would rather do it when he knows she believes in what he says is true. Some details can be shared, some can't. You'll get more about that in the next chapter! A bit of compulsion resistance is definitely going on, isn't there ;). John's letter was such a difficult one to write for me too but I'm so happy I did it justice :D. Jeremy and Kiah's relationship is one I love to write but there is still this secret between them which is going to cause problems. Elena is definitely self-centred and you're right, she and her friends are controlling what Kiah does to a point. Hopefully hers and Jeremy's reasons for keeping her in the dark will come to light soon!_  
 _Guest 1: So do I! That is going to get frustrating, so don't say I didn't warn you. But it all comes down to a head in one scene in the future that I've already written and it'll be worth it for sure! You'll find out her sibling's reasons for lying to her as the story goes on. So am I!_  
 _Shadowing: It definitely seems like Kiah is resisting the compulsion doesn't it? It's a mystery which will slowly unravel as I keep on writing :D. The shadow thing will unravel at one point too. Hope you liked the update!_  
 _kmeds224: I'm so glad you like Kiah and Kol's relationship. Hope you liked the update!_  
 _Aliana . Gabriella . Winchester . 17: That is a very good point! Seems like Kiah's going all out to get fired these days. Elena's definitely not gonna be happy about that should she succeed :D_  
 _yasmina1: Neither can I. It's gonna be a good scene for sure since I got ahead of myself and have already written it ;) Hope you liked the update!_  
 _19vanelkc: Thank you so much! I can't wait for that either but it's gonna be a frustrating ride until that scene happens! Hope you like the update though :D_  
 _KateKat1992: Thank you so much! It's here! Next chapter is already finished too :D_  
 _Guest 2: Thank you! :)_  
 _Gemm13: Thank you! :)_  
 _Arkytior's Song: Thank you so much, it means a lot! Next chapter will be out soon!_  
 _Guest 3: Thank you :)_  
 _Guest 4: It's here! Hope you like it!_  
 _Guest 5: Thank you :)_  
 _sharonpijl: I'm so glad you're enjoying it! I love writing Kiah and Kol!_  
 _AnimaQueen: I'm so glad you like Kiah! I can't wait for them to officially meet too and hopefully it won't take too long to get there!_  
 _EverRose808: Neither can I, I've already written that scene too. Can't wait until I finally get to that chapter! :D_  
 _Hellish Will: It's finally here! And the next chapter is finished so it will be up within the next week!_  
 _Guest 6: It's finally here! Hope you enjoyed it!_


	5. Disturbing Behaviour

Twenty minutes after I managed to get a hold on my wayward emotions, I found myself skulking at the foot of the stairs, perched quietly on the bottom step and still lost in a pit of melancholy thought. My hands had joined themselves together in my lap as I vaguely listened in on the soft chatter emanating through from the kitchen.

"The problem with my dad's normal side of the family is normal made for a _really_ boring summer," Bonnie muttered and I curved one brow, the curiosity swelling before waning just as fast.

Absentee mother... check. Eccentric grandmother… check. On the surface, Bonnie's father may seem normal in comparison but his trait as a workaholic had dampened his concept of family. That was something which Miss Sheila, despite her crazy reputation, had always managed to grasp, up until the very end.

For the first time, I strangely found myself on the same page as the green eyed girl. Normality was unquestionably overrated.

That message, as always, flew straight in and out of Caroline's uncomprehending ears.

"After the last few days, I would _kill_ for a normal family."

"Right now my household seems _too_ normal," Elena stated lowly and I had to crane my head to listen close. "It's like I'm living last year all over again. Jeremy is holing up in his room and every time I go to check in on Kiah, she's either working, sleeping or filling up the pages of her journal. We haven't talked properly in months, I…. I'm getting worried about her..." She laughed once but no amusement tinged her tone. "If this is what normal is supposed to be like, then I don't want it."

"Maybe it's just a phase," Bonnie offered gently. "They've lost a lot, you all have. Maybe this is just their way of dealing."

There was a small silence and I frowned, gazing blankly down at the carpet, lost once again in my mind.

The momentary clatter of pans instrumented through from the kitchen until Caroline's stunned tone broke through the rattle. "Since when did _you_ learn how to cook?"

Elena's muffled response was almost illegible to my ears. "Damon helped a little."

 _"Damon's_ helping you _cook_ now?" Bonnie echoed and I smirked, picking up on her masked revulsion.

"Both of you _stop judging_ ," Elena argued. "He's just trying to be a good... _OW!_ "

I swiftly leapt to my feet, my heart tumbling through my chest at the sound of her sudden scream. Within seconds, I was entering the fray where chaos had ensued.

"No no, my _necklace_." My sister was hastily brushing her hair off her shoulders. With a shaking hand, she closed her fingers over the pendent and raised it off her skin. "It _burned me_ ," she gasped and I lowered my gaze. At the sight of her flesh singed raw from the metal's touch, my lips twisted into disgust.

Caroline blinked once before she lightly suggested, "Maybe it's a sign you shouldn't be wearing it."

" _Caroline_..." Bonnie tiredly started but the blonde was quick to defend herself.

"What, I'm just _saying_. If you're going to be _cooking_ without Stefan."

Elena released a small huff.

"She's not some love struck idiot," I remarked, instantly furrowing my brows. The three of them whipped around, their conversation abruptly put on hold as I tilted my head, scrutinising my sister mildly before contemplating, "Second thought…"

I deliberately left the sentence hanging and Elena scowled but nonetheless, ripped the necklace from her throat. She held it at arm's length. The pendant dangled from the loose chain and I shook my head in disbelief.

My feet started forwards but Bonnie's hand closed on my wrist and yanked me back. With a small hiss, I viciously twisted my arm from her hold but she had already placed herself in front of me. Her tone was strangely distant as she whispered, "Let me see it."

Elena gazed at her for a few moments before her apprehensive eyes rested on mine. When my expression showed nothing except sceptical amusement, she turned to Caroline who cautiously drifted her gaze in my direction before nodding once.

A flash of relief crossed her face. She turned back to Bonnie and extended her arm, the chain swinging lightly in her grip.

The emerald eyed girl paused for a moment, mentally calculating her every move. She carefully leaned forwards and examined the pendent through narrowed eyes. Then coming to a decision, she reached out, her fingers extending. Her thumb had barely brushed the pendant when a loud crackling spark burst through the air.

Bonnie jerked her hand back with a loud gasp and in her shock, the necklace fell from Elena's grasp.

Before I knew what I was doing, my arm reflexively shot out. I deftly caught the pendant before it hit the table.

Elena shouted my name. I could hear the horror in her tone but her words seemed muffled, out of focus. I gazed through unseeing eyes, feeling the faintest of shocks prickling over my skin as I slowly curled my fingers, enclosing the necklace in a tight fist.

The sense of static fizzled out faster than the speed of a gunshot… then there was nothing… nothing except the light feeling of warm metal rapidly cooling down in my palm.

No one spoke. No one moved. The seconds passed by in painful, deafening ticks. When I finally managed to bring myself to look up, my sister, Bonnie and Caroline were all staring unblinkingly back at me. Their mouths were slightly ajar in their silence and I shook myself out of my daze with a small scoff.

With a sharp flick of my wrist, I sent the necklace hurling back in my sister's direction. " _Man up,_ " I sneered at her as her hands scrambled out to catch it. "Chemistry one-oh-one, metal heats up around hot substances so since the three of you _obviously_ _can't bear the pain_ of a _little static shock_ , let's just keep it out of the fucking sunlight and away from your boiling bubble of broth, 'kay?"

There was brief pause before Caroline cleared her throat. "Yeah," she chirped her agreement with an assured nod of her head. "Of course Kiah, we promise."

She swiftly rounded the kitchen table and gently took a hold of my wrist. My amber eyes locked with intense sapphire. I didn't have the chance to react.

"And in the meantime," she continued, her black pupils dilating. " _You saw and heard nothing."_

"I…." I began but as my voice began to waver, Caroline's grip around my wrist tightened. Her concentration never faltered. As she repeated her command, my mind turned hazy. "I saw and heard nothing," I repeated tonelessly.

When Caroline's grip fell lax, I backed away from the three friends. Without another word, I spun round on my heel and exited the room.

Caroline's ears pricked up, zeroing in on my retreat. When she caught the faint slam of my door, she twisted her body back around.

"See what I mean?" she fretted. Elena and Bonnie didn't reply, the two teenagers unable to form a rational explanation as to what they had just seen.

And all the while, in the midst of all the current commotion, the three friends remained utterly unaware that just a handful of states over, another peculiarity had emerged.

Within the bustling city of Chicago, the witch Gloria had collapsed; her ragged breaths evened out as her unconscious body slumped from her seat and crumpled to the ground.

Silence descended over the bar, no one present to observe the witch's bizarre reaction to such a simple locator spell…

No one except two irate original immortals and one apprehensive ripper, all of whom had witnessed the entire perplexing display.

* * *

The scene seemed so picturesquely normal on the surface, the sunlight streaming softly over the Lockwood Mansion, picnic tables scattered neatly across the grounds and the delighted chatter which filled the light atmosphere.

Too lost in the joy of yet another annual town get-together, not a single guest noticed the one green eyed girl who was rapidly weaving through the crowds.

Bonnie Bennett's rosy cheeks were flushed from the exertion of heaving her heavy book-loaded satchel over one shoulder. She hurried past the array of tables, heading directly towards a small wooden bench on the outskirts of the vast grounds where her two friends had gathered to await her arrival.

Elena and Caroline's heads shot up at her appearance and Bonnie wasted no time. "Okay, got it," she panted, her chest rising and falling from her strenuous sprint. "I have an identification spell that _might_ be able to tell me what magic affected the necklace."

She dropped onto the bench beside them and wrenched her satchel up. Buckles clicked and leather opened to reveal an ancient worn Grimoire. Bonnie carefully manoeuvred it to her lap then reached out her left hand. Elena quickly dropped the necklace into her open palm.

"It's going to take a while," Bonnie muttered, allowing herself to be submerged in the Wiccan text as she flipped through the spelled pages of her ancestors. "So tell me if anyone's coming, okay?"

Caroline nodded, then unexpectedly blanched. "Hold that thought," she muttered but before the other two could demand a further explanation, the sudden clearing of a throat sounded from behind. The three friends twisted in their seats.

Directly in front of them, an older teenager stood clad in a white apron, a tray of two cocktail glasses balanced perfectly in his left hand. Alight azure eyes briefly scanned over the small slip of paper clutched tightly in his grasp.

"Which one of you is Elena Gilbert?" he queried.

The girls exchanged a baffled glance before Elena spoke up. "Yeah, I mean…" She cleared her throat. "That would be me."

A warm, charismatic smile lit his sun-kissed face. "Compliments from the bar," he announced, swiftly unloading the drinks one at a time and passing them over. "One Virgin Mary and one Devil Cocktail."

"Erm, thank you?" Elena replied. He ran a hand through his tousled copper locks and departed with one last smile. She waited until he had fully dispersed back into the crowds before she muttered, "That was weird."

"Seriously weird but I'm not complaining," Caroline resounded back, cheerfully accepting the drink which Elena passed over. Her lips began to part but they hovered over the straw. A sudden, strange thought had passed through her mind. The blonde drew back, pondering the glass in front of her as she tentatively inquired, "So you're not, like, switching Salvatores, are you?"

Elena choked and the drink burned hot in her throat. " _What?_ " she spluttered.

"Caroline..." Bonnie exasperated but Caroline waved away her concerns.

"Stay focused."

The young witch sighed but resumed to mouth inaudibly through incantation after incantation. Caroline watched her actions for a moment before her body suddenly froze. Her vampire ears had picked up on an approaching heartbeat. She released a low curse under her breath.

" _What?_ " Elena demanded and Caroline just hissed, "He's back."

She whirled around in her seat and the startled azure orbs provided just enough time for Bonnie to once again slam her Grimoire shut.

"Can't you _see_ that we're _trying_ to have a _private_ conversation here?" Caroline growled, setting her cocktail glass to one side while she eyed the tray he was carrying with distrust. "Who even is this _complimentor?_ "

"Hey, I'm _just_ _doing_ my _job_ ," the waiter calmly replied. "I don't take the orders, I just serve them." Then ignoring their protests, he thrust the drinks into their reluctant grasps. "So this time we've got one Eye Candy and one Flirtini. _Do_ _enjoy_."

Caroline matched his departing grin with a false one of her own. Once she was certain his scent was far from reach, she narrowed her eyes into thin slits. "Is somebody having us on?"

"No," Elena denied, her tone falling into one of resignation. She passed one of the cocktails over to Bonnie who set it down on the ground so she could open her Grimoire once more. "This has my sister written all over it."

"What makes you think that?" Bonnie wondered and Elena sighed.

"The Devil's Cocktail and Flirtini represent Damon, the other two symbolise Stefan." Her jaw tightened as she continued to explain, "Kiah's trying to be _funny_. She thinks I'm in love with both of them so she's trying to make me choose."

Bonnie paused in her research to pick up her cocktail. She sipped idly but curiosity got the best of her. "Are you?" she questioned and Elena paled.

" _What?_ " she stuttered. Bonnie just sighed and returned to the archaic text, allowing Caroline to take over.

"As your friends, who worry for you daily, _what is the deal_ with you and Damon?"

"There is _no deal_." Elena hesitated for a short second before hastily adding, "He's been just as focused on finding Stefan as I have."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make him any less _Damon_ ," Caroline retorted, the fact of her words falling short and simple. "If my own father, who I love _dearly_ , can't change me, no one's changing Damon." She shook her head once. "Not even _you_."

"Look, why are we even talking about this?" Elena protested but a deep voice immediately interjected.

"Order for Elena Gilbert?"

"Oh, _for God's sake_ ," Caroline muttered but her ire quickly became inquisitiveness when the waiter passed over a single drink.

Elena tentatively took it from his hands yet when he made a move to leave, she immediately stopped him in his tracks. "Wait," she called and he slowly turned back on his heel, his face the picture of immaculate confusion. "What's this one called?"

The waiter's lips twitched. "Pussyfoot," he replied. He whipped back around and strode back down the hill towards the picnic tables, leaving an irate Elena in his wake. The chocolate haired girl slumped back into her seat and Caroline placed a gentle hand on her arm.

"I swear, next time, I'll get rid of him," she declared but Elena thought she could detect a light spark inside the blonde's blue eyes.

 **"** Hey guys," Bonnie suddenly stated, causing the two teenagers to whip around and freeze at the sight before them.

The pendant was levitating directly above her Grimoire, the long piece of silver chain dangling vertically beneath it as it climbed higher and higher into the air.

Little by little, Caroline shifted further away from the floating jewellery. "What are you doing?" she managed to whisper but Bonnie shook her head.

"I'm not doing anything," she murmured back, coming to the horrifying realisation. "It has its own magic."

Without warning, Caroline's ears perked. The faint _'thud, thud'_ of a familiar organ was steadily increasing in volume.

With a soft growl of, "Can't he take a _freaking hint?_ " she swiped the necklace out of the air and shoved it deep inside her pocket. With a speed that almost crossed the boundaries between human and supernatural, she leapt to her feet and snarled, " _What?_ "

The waiter retreated one step, undeterred by the blonde's obvious fury as he passed Elena a receipt. "The first two drinks were complimentary but the last three seem to be ordered from your table."

Elena clenched her fists, slits for eyes directed towards the waiter who had once again turned his back on her, but not before shouting his parting words.

"You can drop the receipt off at the bar when you're ready."

* * *

"Remind me to never bet against you." Jeremy chuckled low to himself, his dark irises eager to watch the scene before us go down. As soon we saw the tense figure of my sister springing off the bench, I responded to my twin's high five with a small smile.

"Well, _she_ was the one who made us come to this party of _Social Etiquette_ in the first place so the _least she can do_ is pay for our compliance." To my left, I eyed the waiter swiftly approaching and I muttered, "Speaking of," before making my way towards him. "Cheers, Jake," I said happily. He placed my sister's cash into my open palm and yanked the apron up and over his head with a beam.

"I owed you one. Plus, it's kind of fun to piss off the members of the high society." He tipped his head in farewell. "Till next time, Gilbert," he stated and I sent him a wide grin.

"I look forward to it."

As soon as he vanished back into the mansion, another figure took a stand by my side.

"Friend of yours?" Alaric wondered, nodding towards the doors which had closed behind Jake's retreating form.

"We make bets and owe each other favours," I explained as we both strode down the mansion steps and onto the grounds. "For example…" I gestured to the dozens of casserole dishes spread across the buffet tables. "Wanna try your hand at a game of Chili Roulette? Spice things up a little, so to speak?"

"I already feel like I'm going to regret this," Alaric muttered but his mouth tilted up slightly. He followed my lead and swiped up a spoon. I twirled the cutlery between my fingers, my amber eyes sparking.

"It's simple really, teach. Whoever picks the most repulsive dish faces the forfeit."

Rising to the challenge, Alaric dipped his spoon into the first dish and hesitated for a second, preparing to sample. The chilli slipped past his lips and he swallowed it down with relief.

I nodded my approval before internally calculating my move, all the while ensuring that I avoided one specific ceramic dish in particular.

"So," Alaric spoke as I chewed. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now." Crease lines formed on his forehead. "You're still alright with me crashing at your place, aren't you?" he asked and I answered with one large swallow.

"Think you're a couple of months too late for us to be having this conversation, Ric."

Alaric awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "I know and I should have talked to you sooner… I er… knew what it did to you when I left."

"You were gone _four_ _whole days_ before you decided to move back in," I gently retaliated. "Talk about turnaround but I highly doubt that it had an impact on my psychosis."

But Alaric didn't rise to my elusive taunts. He rounded the buffet table and came to a resolute halt before me. "Don't you want to know why I came back?" he questioned and I looked into his eyes, carefully reading his sincerity. I took my time in formulating a neutral response.

"I'm sure an _Elena-shaped explanation_ is behind it." My fingers tapped mildly against the tablecloth and I chewed the inside of my cheek before impulsively blurting, "But consider me curious, what _did_ she do? Connect us all together in our apparent grief and loneliness?"

Alaric faintly smiled. "That mostly sums it all up, yeah." He trailed off and when he next spoke, his voice was soft. "But she was _right_ , Kiah." He placed a hand on my arm and my body stilled. His touch drew my gaze and I stared blankly at the appendage like some foreign object. "So if you _ever_ need someone to talk to…"

I instantly shrugged away his comfort and raised a single hand. "Okay, hold it _right there_ , I know where this is going. I appreciate your concern Ric, _really_ , I _do_ and _maybe_ if you had told me all this a while back I would have accepted your offer… but the thing is… I don't need to talk anymore… I'm okay." At his mistrust, I stepped forwards and gently stated, "I suppose you _are_ right, we _have_ lost s _o much…_ but back then… I didn't have my sister, or my twin, or even _you_ to hold me by the hand and help me through…"

I looked away from his probing gaze and through a soft, reminiscent smile, I whispered, "When the time came, I managed to get up and survive… and I managed it all by myself."

Thoughtful, Alaric stepped back and dipped his spoon into the chili bowl beside him. He raised it to his mouth. The food passed his lips and his body instantly stilled.

"Hmm," I mused as his face scrunched up in disgust. "Looks like you're paying our takeouts for the next three months… that dish was my sister's _fabulous creation_."

All Alaric's confusion was replaced with shocked realisation.

"You knew," he accused, forcing down a swallow and I rocked back on my heels with a sly grin.

"Well I needed a way to get you on board," I explained before curling my lips further and firing off the innocent question. "Do you _honestly_ think you can survive three months of _that_?"

Alaric opened his mouth and closed it again. His shoulders slumped, signifying his surrender. "I think you've made your point."

The topic of our question suddenly came into view, approaching us fast and I greeted her with dramatic exultance.

" _Elenaaa_ ," I chirped. "How _are you_ on this lovely, sunny afternoon? Hope you've found the Lockwood refreshments up to par. Dehydration is _no joke,_ you know."

Elena didn't find the humour in my statement. "You and I are going to be having words," she threatened and I met her anger with a sneer.

"I can _hardly wait_."

Elena began to retaliate but Alaric swiftly stepped between us, effectively cutting off the bubbling argument in its tracks. "Please tell me it's time to go," he begged and Elena sighed.

"Beyond." Chocolate eyes then scanned the room. "Where's Damon?" she wondered.

"Probably off somewhere doing bad things to good people." Caroline joined our group and when Elena turned her back on us to continue searching for the raven haired Salvatore, the blonde continued, "Consider me the honesty police."

"She's right, why the _hell_ should we _care?_ " I challenged before grumbling under my breath, "I for one could use a reprieve from him breathing down our necks every five seconds."

Elena whirled around on her heel. "And what's _that_ supposed to mean?" she demanded but I didn't answer. My attention had diverted and my eyebrows had lowered, watching as Caroline came to a swift standstill.

The blonde jerked herself back, away from the hallway and Elena's ire was gone in an instant.

"What is it?" she whispered. Alaric turned, his attention caught.

"What's the matter?" he murmured and Caroline's body began to tremble.

"It's my _dad_ ," she stammered and I frowned, the faintest trace of worry flooding through me at the bizarre sight of her pristinely perfect composure which was rapidly falling apart at the seams.

Elena shoved past me to take her quivering hands, her expression one of utter repugnance whilst she glared in the direction which Caroline had fled from. "Why would he even _show up here?_ " she hissed and Caroline shook her head, her face paling with every passing moment.

"I don't know. But…" Her voice cracked with a fearful squeak. "I _can't._.."

"I _know_ ," Elena reassured her. "I'll call you later."

A single tear streaked down the blonde's cheek. She fled towards the stairs, ascending quickly and disappearing from sight.

I watched that space for a few seconds longer, then taking a brief scan of my sister, ensuring that she was too engrossed in her huddled conversation with Alaric, I quietly slipped off towards the hallway, my eyes sparking out their anger.

"Okay, what was that all about?" Alaric muttered to Elena who looked up at him, her chocolate orbs clouded with rage.

"Speaking of doing bad things to good people..." She left the sentence hanging, finally realising that the commentary around her was too silent. Her brows furrowed and she quickly spun on her heel before releasing a loud groan. "Where has she gone now?" she muttered darkly.

Her steps hastened through the mansion, beginning her frantic search with Alaric following swiftly at her heels.

* * *

He had excused himself from the council and followed me… just like I expected him too. I stood at the far corner of the empty room when he entered, my head tipped back, casually admiring the clusters of paintings which hung from the mocha walls.

My body never reacted when the door closed with a soft click not a minute later and as the seconds ticked on, a cold silence descended. Yet I continued to examine the walls, playing the picture of ignorance, refusing to acknowledge his presence until he made it so.

"Kiannah Gilbert." He greeted me cordially but his voice was cold, signifying that his short tether of patience had finally come to a snap. "Last time I saw you were in pigtails. Running around after that Lockwood boy."

"William Forbes," I drawled back. "And so the prodigal father returns." I finally spun around on my heel to face him. "Last time I saw you, your own daughter hadn't been the type to run, come hell or high water, at the mere mention of your _name_."

His lips thinned and I tapped my forefinger to my chin as I took one calculating step forwards.

"Come to think of it, you also hadn't left your wife all high and dry, just so you could jump into bed with another man." A leer curled my lips. I watched the bulging vein pulsate inside his temple avidly. "By the way, how _is_ Steven? I'm guessing those brain cells of his are still taking a _long ass time_ to recover cause _let's be frank here_ , only someone so foolish would continue to play the _ever so doting_ partner."

He never made a single move and I clenched my teeth, tired of all my failed declarations.

"If that wasn't clear enough I _despise_ people who are unfaithful to those they claim to love." I sent him a mock salute as I swept past him and approached the door. "Enjoy the party alone."

"Do you know what _vervain_ is, Kiah?" he called me back and my hand paused over the door handle. "Legend has it that our ancestors, the founding families, used to ingest the herb to prevent any influence from outside forces. Forces which were… _unnatural…_ so to speak."

"So our ancestors were diagnosed with a case of psycho superstition," I muttered and yet, despite my outward denial, my heart was racing. "Doesn't prove anything."

"And yet your friends and family have been taking the exact same herb. Everyone except for you." I drew my hand back to my side and slowly retreated from the door as he questioned, "I wonder… why _exactly,_ do you think _that is?_ "

I turned back around to face him, ensuring that my feelings remained perfectly composed. Because I knew that even igniting the tiniest spark of hope could be dangerous.

Because if I allowed myself to believe, for even a single second, that the stories and the myths about the vampires could even be true… that the dreams I had experienced for the past year were not just some senseless longing for someone to understand… only for that very belief to shatter when this small shred of proof of the supernatural turned out to be nothing but a lie…

 _It would break me._

"Why are you even back in town, Bill?" I said, resigned. "What the _hell_ do you want?"

He moved towards me, his hand gesturing wildly to the space around us. "I want you to see the _truth_ , Kiah," he urged. "The town is no longer ours. It belongs to the monsters which infest it. It's our job to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors, to ensure that we put a stop to this plague…"

He calmed his rant and sighed as he crossed over to the corner table. I warily watched him pour out a drink and he took a small sip from the glass, his sharp gaze never leaving mine.

"It's what your father would have wanted."

It was a low blow, reminding me once again of all the loss and the grief which I had been fighting so hard to overcome.

When I raised my head to acknowledge his desperation, I carelessly recalled, "Well you know what they say about our ancestors… batshit crazy then, batshit crazy _now_."

The door was suddenly flung open and a familiar voice began to drawl.

"She _does_ have a point."

Damon Salvatore was immediately by my side, his cold eyes narrowed in on the Forbes patriarch with distain.

"Is that scotch?" He shrugged. "I figured you for an abstainer."

"Everything in moderation," Bill solemnly replied. "Keeps the mind clear from... _influence_."

"Yeah yeah, I heard your little recruitment offer. _Go team presentation!_ But I can _guarantee_ that baby Gilbert will like mine better."

Before I could respond, his hand had fisted in my hair, yanking my head up to meet his black ice stare. _"Forget your conversation with Bill Forbes, he called you in here to talk and you shot him down, that is all."_

I struggled in his hold in a desperate blind panic, fighting off thick clouds which were beginning to overpower my brain.

Damon dragged his gaze away from me to regard Bill with disappointment. "Threatening to _out me?_ With _her?_ " He tutted. "Low blow."

But the Forbes patriarch wasn't listening.

"So it's true." I could vaguely hear his curious tone as the raven haired Salvatore's words steadily settled all around me until it was all I could think about it. "She is combating it. That is interesting."

"Mhmmm." Damon hummed before finally releasing me. I stumbled and threw out my hand, bracing my palm against the nearest wall for balance. "Although just to be certain…"

A white hot pain burst through my head. I barely heard my own ear-wrenching screams. Daggers of agony flared through my brain; it ripped into my vision, tore it apart until all that was left was utter darkness.

The world around me began to tilt sideways and as I swam in a sea of numbness, muffled voice waves sounded around me, threatening to drown me within the wrathful tones of furious hurt.

 _"- wake up with one hell of a headache, though."_

 _"You can't do this anymore, Damon. Not in this town. Not around me."_

 _"I'm not Stefan. Why don't you stop trying to turn me into him?"_

 _"Come on Kiah, don't do this… wake up!"_

My body lurched forwards and hands quickly shot out to steady my violent sways as a sharp cry of tore from my lips.

" _Easy_." The soothing voice of my twin cautioned me and I whimpered, my body trembling in agony.

The splitting sensation of an ice pick was drilling its way through the base of my skull and cutting off all coordination. With its next attack, I gritted my teeth to hold back another cry and forced my way through the darkness until my eyelids fluttered open.

"Hey there," he murmured, his blurry face sharpening into view.

"Jeremy," I croaked and he weakly smiled, his relief paramount as he lowered me gently back down onto the bed. I blinked sluggishly at the familiar bedroom walls which came into view. "What… what _happened?_ "

"You tell me," he quietly challenged and I frowned, struggling to sort through my most recent hazy memories

"Bill Forbes… he cornered me, said he wanted to talk but I shot him down… and then… there's _nothing_." My fingers curled over my covers as I stammered, "Please tell me I crashed into Elena's chili dish, it'll make me feel so much better about this _goddam_ _headache_."

Jeremy looked away from me with a short laugh but his eyes seemed oddly distant. "Think it was the Lockwood steps," he responded and I groaned.

"Fucking hell." My sluggish gaze moved to the ceiling. "You can go now, I don't need my twin to play babysitter on me."

His concerned look fell back onto me. "You sure?"

"I'm okay," I replied but when he made no move to leave, I added, " _Really_."

Jeremy rose from the edge of my bed and reluctantly began to approach my bedroom door yet he hadn't made it two steps before he turned back around.

"Kiah," he started, clearing his throat. "If you ever need someone, I'm here. I'm always here. You know that."

"That's the thing Jer," I mumbled, my eyelids beginning to close. "I _don't_ know that. Not anymore."

There was a small silence.

"You're wrong," he whispered and I snorted softly.

"Okay, then _prove it_. Prove to me that I'm not going _crazy_ , that there is a completely justifiable reason behind why you all just suddenly decided to _shut me out_. Let me in, because whatever it is I can handle it. Because I just want _answers_ , Jer." My voice cracked and water stung behind my closed eyelids. "What are you all _keeping_ from me?"

I waited and waited in the quietness, hoping against hope that he would finally cave and confide in me the way we used to.

But the sound of shuffling feet became fainter and fainter.

When the door softly closed, I had received my answer.

"That's what I thought," I murmured, blinking back my burning gaze, forcing back the tears which threatened to leak through.

This time, I refused to break.

This time, I managed to succeed.

* * *

"I'm not gonna say I told you so."

Elena glanced over at her blonde friend, watching in apprehension for any subtle hint which would give away what she was truly thinking. When she found no deceit in Caroline's unwavering air, she let out a small exhale of relief.

"Thank you."

A brief, calm silence descended between the two friends.

"But I _did_ tell you," Caroline declared and Elena closed her eyes, her fingers curling reflexively over her bag strap, mentally preparing herself for the conversation she had been dreading for the past couple of days.

"Okay, you and Damon were _both_ right," she reluctantly admitted, focusing on her own footsteps instead of the judgement which she knew would be passing over Caroline's face. "I _was_ trying to change him," she continued before she jutted out her chin, pushing forth her resolution as she stated, "but if he wants to be in my life…"

"What? _Wait_ ," Caroline began, her nose crinkling and her strides faltering.

Elena paused for the smallest of seconds then turned around to face her. With surprise coating her doe-eyed features, she silently watched the blonde tilt back her head and drift into deep thought.

"I er…" Caroline started then clamped her lips shut.

Elena raised a brow, watching her friend swiftly raise and lower her hands in an effort to conceal her aggravation. But the blonde vampire could no longer hold back her tongue in favour of protecting the brunette's feelings.

"It's been a long week so I'm just going to be blunt," she blurted. "It doesn't matter what he does, Damon's gotten under your skin."

"That's _not true_ ," Elena reflexively denied, unable to stop her impassive laugh of denial and Caroline threw up her hands to cover her face.

"God, just _admit it, Elena, okay?_ " she implored, her blood boiling out her exasperation through her pores at the sight of Elena's strange smile. "Even _Kiah's_ seen it and she's been pointing it out to _all of us_ for the past _week_ and we've just been too worried to confront you about it."

Elena turned her head, gazing blankly to the right, letting Caroline's words wash through her mind.

"You are _attracted to him_!" the blonde exclaimed. "In all of his _bad brother glory!"_

"No," Elena whispered, her smile now gone and Caroline's rant stopped short.

"Wait." She tilted her head to one side as she accused, "No, you're not attracted to him, or no, you just won't _admit it_?"

" _I_ _can't_ , _Caroline!_ " Elena burst out, her voice cracking from the pressure which she could finally release. The forbidden thoughts she didn't dare approach, the guilt for her despicable feelings which were creeping through and drowning her more and more with each passing day.

Caroline blanched at her exclamation but Elena couldn't bring herself to stop. The dam had broken and tears now welled at the rims of her eyes.

"After everything he has done in the past, to you," Caroline flinched but Elena pressed on. "to Jeremy, to Kiah… to _me_." She shook her head and looked down. "If I _admit it_ ," she murmured. "If I even _thought_ it, for just a _second_..." She hesitantly glanced back up as she quietly finished "What does that say about _me?_ "

And with that, all Caroline's anger faded. All that was left was understanding. "It says you're _human_ , Elena," she breathed and Elena gazed at her, her chocolate eyes wide as they begged so desperately for her help.

"What do I do?" she uttered and Caroline smiled. Yet her tone was sad.

"You don't need _me_ to tell you that."

Elena drew her lower lip between her teeth, already realising the underlying truth behind the words. "I _can't_ talk to her, Caroline," she murmured, unable to even consider going down that road.

"Yes, you _can_ ," Caroline adamantly urged. "You're _sisters_. You two used to know each other better than _everybody_ else."

"But that's the _problem,_ Care!" Elena protested, her voice croaking from her pain. "I don't know who she even _is_ anymore!" She sighed and her shoulders slumped before she admitted, "I'm not so sure I ever did."

" _Look_." Caroline drew in a deep breath. "I _get it_ , after everything we have been through, I _get_ that you want to protect her, the way you weren't, from all the trauma she would have to endure should she ever discover the truth. But she deserves something _more_ from you Elena and as annoying and frustrating as she can be, isolating her out isn't the right way to go."

Although Elena continued to gnaw on her lip, Caroline could see her resolve breaking and confidently persisted.

"If you want to spare her the gory, unnatural details then _fine_ but what you're _feeling_ Elena, has _nothing_ to do with the supernatural." She brushed a stray blonde curl behind her ear, scanning over the town as she advised, "Tell her that part at least because once you get past that reckless and insensitive front she's putting on, she _always_ knows what to say."

In her confliction, Elena couldn't bring herself to reply and Caroline's voice softened as she drew her forlorn gaze back to her.

"I know you're concerned about her Elena but once the two of you talk you _might_ realise that maybe, _just maybe_ , she needs help too and _trust me_ , confiding in her about what you feel for Damon is this is the best way for you to get her to open up. So you can both move forward as two sisters." Caroline finished off her speech with a sigh. "A _family_."

A familiar scent suddenly caught her attention and her focus whipped to one side, honing in on the familiar figure heading towards the parking lot.

Elena followed her line of direction. "Speaking of family," she uttered, her brow furrowed with worry. "Do you need me to...?"

"No, I got it," Caroline exhaled, placing her hand gently on the brunette's arm. "Think about what I said," she muttered before gathering up her courage. When her father finally noticed her presence, the blonde vampire steadily approached him, her shoulders back and her head held high.

All the while, Elena was left standing alone in the middle of the street. Her body still... her thoughts a blur.

* * *

It was not a situation they had ever come across in the entire history of the town and yet here they all were: two self-respecting women against one insanely passionate man. A man who was not of the founding families, a man who was not part of the council… but a man nonetheless… a man fighting hard for his voice to be heard.

Elizabeth Forbes exchanged a glance with Carol Lockwood before turning back to the adamant figure sat straight-backed on the sofa across from her. "I understand where you're coming from," she said, ensuring her tone remained as understanding as possible. "But..."

Alaric Saltzman impassively cut across the rest of her sentence.

"The Gilbert family is a founding family and they deserve to have a voice on the council." He leaned forwards, his hands clenched tight together in his lap as he professed, "I'm taking care of them, I should be that voice."

Carol uncrossed her arms and brushed a trace of lint from her skirt before taking a seat on the plush armchair beside Liz. The two providing a united front in upholding the values of the council. "That's not the way it works, Mr. Saltzman," she stated.

"Oh, really?" Alaric counteracted. His voice wavered before rising steadily with his hot anger, his dedication to protect the people he cared for. "Well, then tell me how it does. The council's job is to protect the people of this town."

Carol's lips pursed yet Alaric never faltered as he gestured to each woman in turn. "Now your daughter's a vampire and your son's a werewolf. So who's looking after the actual _people_?"

Liz looked to Carol, the first uncertainty passing over their eyes and Alaric nodded to himself as he implored, "Some of them may be family or friends, but they are _still supernatural_. They don't follow our rules or our laws, they look after themselves and that's what we need to do." He rose to his feet, glaring down on the silent women as he concluded, "And how can they _do that_ if most of them continue to live in the _dark_?"

Neither Carol nor Liz could provide an answer. They knew all too well of whom the history teacher in particular was referring to.

"The threat of the unknown puts them in constant danger. They're unable to defend themselves and I _refuse_ to let them die because of it. And that is why I will be the voice in their corner." He nodded his farewell and turned to the door. "I'll see you at the next meeting."

It had made an impact on them both and the two council members mulled over the echo of his words long after his exit.

Because his statement rang true. Supernatural creatures ran the town without regulation or restraint. How long would it take until the next human suffered simply because they lacked the power or immortality to fight back?

The human's needed an unbiased voice and Alaric Saltzman was the prime candidate.

Liz and Carol simultaneously released a guilty breath before finally rising to their feet. Inside their minds they mirrored a single resolute thought.

They needed to do _better_.

* * *

"You know, I hate being stuck in this bloody place."

We were back in the compound tonight, our forms swathed beneath the familiar glow of the gaslights. He stood a fair few feet away, his form twitching, signifying his fury at whatever past family conflict currently tormented his mind.

"I'd be more than happy to swap," I admitted and stepped forwards, hoping to distract him as I eyed the familiar courtyard, from the walls of cracked mortar and decay, to the vines which creeped out from the fractures and swathed the lining of bricks of with uncontrollable tendrils.

"Something's changed," I muttered to myself and out of the corner of my eye, his head turned slightly in my direction. He silently listened while my mind attempted to break apart the complex puzzle which had suddenly presented itself. "It's like I've suddenly been put under this twenty-four-hour scrutiny. So yeah, if I could spend my whole life trapped in here, then I'll damn well be tempted to do it."

"I'd have to disagree with you on that one, this place…" he stopped before biting out, "It's not the most grandest of cities that it makes itself out to be."

"And yet it must have had _some_ impact on you because we _still_ seem to end up here," I murmured, coming to a stop beside him and at the smallest intimacy of my mere presence, his arm instinctively encircled my shoulders, pulling me to his side.

"Yes well, the sense of a family was a little warped." His tone turned scathing as he recounted, "The daggerings, the betrayals, my brothers who chose a common whelp over their own blood to become family. It _certainly_ made an impact."

His gaze then fell onto me, never moving away and when he spoke again, his voice held a sultry trace which caressed my body with goosebumps and warm fire.

"And yet somehow, you being here, makes it seem less of an awful city to return to."

My cheeks tinged to a rosy shade and when my body relaxed against him, he took that as tacit encouragement.

I rested my head on his shoulder as he spoke, avidly recounting the tales of old, how he had helped to build the grandeur that was New Orleans from the ground up.

I had intended to listen, to absorb every detail but without warning, his words turned to mindless sound in my ears, drowned out by a sudden chill. The hairs on the back of my neck began to rise as my stomach turned over with a familiar dark foreboding.

I knew it was there before I saw it… but when I finally gained the courage to turn my head and cast my eyes upon the shadow which had haunted me for the past few months… I couldn't move… I couldn't _think_.

I just stared unblinking. Goosebumps elevated up through my flesh. The paralysing fear dragged me under and my breaths turned ragged. Spots danced before my eyes as the figure floated forwards. Its black cloak billowed, the silver blade glinting as it rose high.

 _"Thea."_

Ares cautious shout broke through my paralysis and heart lurching, I jerked my head round to face him. His hands skimmed down my arms then curved round my waist.

"You're a twitchy little thing tonight, aren't you love?" he murmured to himself and I blinked up at him before inhaling a breath and turning my head back around.

But there was nothing there. The phantom figure… its glinting blade… it had gone.

"Yeah," I stuttered before clearing my throat before my voice broke, "Yeah no it's just…" A dull pain throbbed through the back of my head and I reflexively raised my hand to briefly force away the discomfort .

Ares watched the action silently and as soon as my arm had lowered, he reached forward to brush my hair over one shoulder. His hand stilled and there was a moment's pause

"Who did this to you?" he demanded quietly with an undertone of sharp ice. He cupped the back of my neck and I winced as his thumb rubbed up and down over the small raised wound. "What _happened?_ "

"Me," I uttered back then reached up, closing my hand over his wrist and stilling his movements. "Clumsiness isn't one of my better traits but it can't be helped." With a shaky laugh, I lowered his arm back to his side.

He studied me for a long moment then without warning, he caught my hand in his own before jerking me forwards. Unprepared for the abrupt momentum, I tripped into arms which enclosed around me, holding tight.

Seconds later we were moving at an impossible speed. My lips parted and my gasp of awe was drowned by the wind brushing past my face, whipping through my hair as he flashed us up the courtyard stairs. The glass doors burst open and we slipped through, entering the main house.

I didn't pay attention to my surroundings when he released me, my wide amber eyes never moving away from the man standing directly in front of me. He backed up with slow steps, sinking down onto the leather sofa aptly placed behind him.

"You ready to come down on me, darling?" Suggestive humour tinged his husky tone and I bit back a smile as I stepped towards him.

"I bet it's not the first time you've used that line."

Once I was within reach, he grasped my hips and lifted me cleanly onto his lap, my legs straddling his thighs. One hand splayed across my lower back, pressing me to him whilst his other palmed the back of my head, gently massaging.

I pressed my face into his throat and moaned low, feeling the pain momentarily fade.

"You know," Ares mused. "One small sip of my blood would have that nasty scratch healed right up."

"Of course, the perks of living the life of Dracula," I drawled back, smirking at my own disbelief. "Flaunting your lightning speed and magical blood can really start to impress a girl."

"And yet you've once again forgotten the most important part." He pulled back to trail his fingertips over his wrist, circling his pulse. I turned my head and hazily followed the movement as he explained, "My blood's extraordinary talent as a natural aphrodisiac. We can have some fun with that particular magic one day."

He tipped up my chin, angling my head. My breath caught. By now, I knew him well enough by now to tell what he was about to do. When his hands closed over my upper thighs, I was quick to grasp his shoulders. He leisurely lowered his head to my pulse which hammered fast against my throat. His teeth sank lightly into the soft flesh, enough to leave a mark.

It took everything I had not to make a sound.

"We'll make it quite the intimate affair," he promised and pressed a light kiss to the indented skin, soothing the slight sting before slowly drawing away.

But I didn't let him retreat far. With my chest still moulded against his, my hands lifted to gently cup his face.

"How can you be _so sure_ that you're real?" I whispered to myself as I gazed softly, my fingertips grazing over the features I would never remember or see. "That one day, you'll walk down my street and I'll see your face and finally know your name."

I shook my head and reluctantly continued, "You say all these certainties Ares and I want to believe you, more than I have _ever_ _believed_ in _anything else_. But I can't let myself. I… just _can't_."

My melancholy cut through me, sharper and more painful than any aching injury as I forced myself on. "The only thing I know is the one thing that I _fear_. That you were only ever just a figment of my imagination and one day, when I fall asleep and come back to this place, you won't be here."

I gently caressed the strong line of his jaw, half-heartedly visualising as I lamented, "You'll be gone… and you'll have left me… just like everybody else."

With a watery smile, my hands fell to his lap and he immediately took them in an inescapable grasp.

"I won't let that happen," he said, speaking his declaration aloud and shocking me into stunned silence. "Because your family is wrong. Because one day I promise I'll prove it to you."

He interlinked our fingers and squeezed them tight.

"Because bottom line, to me, my little dreamer," he murmured as the lights around us began to dim. "You're not someone who is worth leaving."

* * *

 _You're not someone who is worth leaving._

I opened my eyes and my lips parted with a soft sigh.

I was right all those months ago. Ares _was_ different but it wasn't because he was a created figment of a vampire which lived on inside my mind. Nor was it because he played outside the rules of society…

The truth of the matter was, even though I couldn't see his face or know his name, hell even though I couldn't recall the way he sounded after I woke, I still remembered our conversations, our actions, my feelings, his words…

…and his words still had the ability to make me smile.

A shuffled movement started to my right and I jolted at the sound, rapidly jumping back to reality. My gaze slowly rotated towards the far corner of the room where a dim lamplight swathed the round plush armchair to illuminate the expressionless figure which was perched against it.

She sat utterly still, her arms crossed tight and her back ruler straight.

"In parts of the world there are some who would consider this sleep stalking, Elena," I grumbled but when she remained seated, her muscles all frozen in place, I frowned. Curiosity settled over me as I blinked myself fully awake. "Aren't you supposed to getting ready for Prank Night?"

"That can wait Kiah, we need to talk." She withdrew a rectangular object from behind her back and my eyes snapped to it. She rose to her feet, watching impassively as my body stilled. "Care to explain this?"

All it took was one glance and burning ice shot up my spine, heating into a hot searing rage which bubbled into my blood as the cold hard truth of what I was seeing before me erupted violently into my brain.

 _She knew._

I internally snarled as I eyed the leather bound journal, hanging open in her loose grasp… the source of all my secrets, my feelings, my soul… all of it exposed directly in front of my vicious gaze.

 _She fucking knew everything._

* * *

 **Oh Elena, what have you done now -_- But Prank Night is coming along with two particular originals...**

 **Hope you enjoyed the chapter and be sure to let me know!**

 _Reviews_

 _RedAro:_ _Ignorance is the worst thing, isn't it? There are a few reasons why Elena decided to keep Kiah in the dark. You'll find out a small part of that reason through both hers and Jeremy's perspective at the end of the prank night chapter! You'll also find out the reason behind Kiah's resistance to compulsion eventually - it will slowly make sense as the story progresses. It's good she has some form of resistance and let's hope that at one point, it will prevent compulsion entirely. There will be hell to pay especially after what Kol comes to realise in the next chapter! Kiah definitely needs someone on her side, doesn't she ;) Hope you liked the update!_  
 _Hellish Will: Thank you so much, it really means a lot! Hope you enjoyed the update :)_  
 _InfinityMars: Kol is throwing out confessions at the moment isn't he? :D Hope you liked the update!_  
 _AnimaQueen: I love writing Kiah's character! Haha, maybe I should give that a watch :D Hope you liked the chapter :)_  
 _megforrrrrrd: Hope you liked what happened! Prank night is coming up now and we all know the sorts of trouble that are sure to unravel there! Hopefully soon since a couple of chapters will definitely be combined :)_  
 _yasmina1: Kol's and Kiah's confessions definitely hit that spot, don't they. Hope you liked the update and now we're officially onto prank night… :D_  
 _Guest 1: We're on a countdown now until Kol wakes up! Can't wait until you read that scene :D_  
 _Serelena: Thank you so much, I'm so glad you're enjoying it! We're officially at prank night now and who knows what will go down…_  
 _Guest2: It's definitely revolting for sure! Elena's reasons for doing this come to fruition, you get to see one of those reasons at the end of prank night. There is a much larger reason but I am still deliberating on whether you'll get to discover it sooner than 'the Ties That Bind' episode, which is when I originally planned to reveal it in. Jeremy does actually have something to say about it after the prank night episode but at least Caroline and Alaric had the smallest bit to say in this chapter. With what I know, it's definitely selfish on Elena's part in the fact that Kiah should have had a choice in the matter but don't worry, it will all come to a head eventually, especially if Kiah ever resists compulsion in its entirety. This sleep thing does seem like apathy on the surface but without giving too much away, it's linked to Kiah's background and why she is beginning to resist compulsion. Hope you liked the update and enjoy the journey to get answers :D_  
 _Rose1414: Thank you! I'm glad you're liking it. Kiah does go through a bit and unfortunately it gets worse before it gets better but trust me, when Kol comes into the picture, it will get better ;)_  
 _Love . Fiction . 2019: Thank you so much! Hope you enjoyed the update_  
 _xrysatsan : I'm so glad you loved that line, it definitely shows how connected they truly are now. I can't wait until Kol comes into the picture either, it's gonna be good! Hope you liked it._  
 _NicCraft18: I'm so glad you're loving it! Kol is such an easy yet complex character to write but I love it anyway! Kiah's and Kol's relationship with each other has definitely grown with time and I'm so happy I've shown that progression well! Those secrets will definitely come out at one point and who knows what the fallout of that will be… hopefully I can move through the chapters fast so Kol can come back quicker and there will definitely be some episodes which I will merge together, especially since Kiah is still not in the know. But until Kol returns, we have Rebekah and Klaus coming to Mystic Falls next chapter so that's gonna be fun :D Jeremy is not as agreeable to keeping Kiah in the dark as Elena is and we see a bit of that perspective at the end of prank night! Hope you had a wonderful day too and enjoyed the update!_  
 _FlowerChild23: Hope you liked the update! Klaus and Rebekah are soon going to meet Kiah but don't worry, I already have Kol and Kiah's official meeting drafted out and I can't wait to get to that point!_  
 _EverRose808: Elena is definitely being selfish to a point. She still thinks that her way is the only way and you'll might get all the reasoning behind that at the end of prank night. Hope you liked the update! I'm so glad you're enjoying it :)_  
 _Shadowing : A part of her wants to believe but she's also holding back, because if there is the chance that he isn't real, it would probably crush her, so in a way, until she finds concrete proof, she's protecting herself! Hope you liked the update… Klaus and Rebekah are coming… :D_  
 _akagami hime chan: Thank you, it means so much :D Kiah is such a joy to write and she and Kol just bounce off each other! Can't wait to post the chapter where they meet in reality :D_  
 _justfandomwritings: Haha, aww thank you, it really means a lot that you love what I write! Hope you enjoyed the update :D_  
 _Livi: I'm so glad you're enjoying the story and Kiah! I've already drafted the scene where they meet in reality and without giving away too much, it's a typical Kiah and Kol situation they find themselves in when Kiah realises that he is actually Ares. My update schedule is sporadic to say the least, especially since I do longer chapters which take more time to write and edit. With five stories that I'm working on altogether, I try to equalise the updates but sometimes one gets priority if a major inspiration for the chapter strikes. Some take longer so I can do it justice! I usually try to update my profile so you can see where I'm up to on each story! Hope that helps :D Prank night is coming ;)_  
 _BankaiTensa: Thank you so much, it really means a lot to me! Kiah and Kol are such amazing characters to write. She will be uncovering the pieces, a lot is going to go down but their meeting in reality is already drafted out! I couldn't wait for that chapter to write it but I can't wait for you to read it! Hope you liked the update :D_  
 _Guest 3: Neither can I! The situation they find themselves in when they finally meet is typical of their characters for sure and I can't wait for you to read it when it finally occurs! Hope you liked the update :D_  
 _Wolcen : Aww I love it! There are so many ways it could go down but I have one drafted and it's gonna be good. The meeting definitely does their relationship justice. But after this chapter you now know that most things pertaining physically to him that could aid in her recognition she forgets when she wakes. His voice is one of those things. All she will know is the type of person that Kol is and when their meeting finally goes down, I'm sure you're going to love it! There definitely will be background faces at one point in that scene so hold onto that :D Hope you enjoyed the update!_  
 _Arkytior's Song: Thank you so much! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!_


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